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University  of  California. 

GIFT     OF1 


NORTH      POLAR     EXPEDITION, 


LI  B  K  A  s-»  V 

UNIVERSITY   OF 

CALIFORNIA. 


NARRATIVE 


NORTH    POLAR    EXPEDITION 


U.  S.  SHIP  POLARIS, 


FRANCIS    HALH.    CO  MM!  AND  ING. 

ll 


EDITED  UNDEK  THE  DIRECTION  OF  THE 

HON.  G.  M.  ROBESON, 

SECRETARY   OF    THE    KAVY, 

BY 

REAR- ADMIRAL  C.   H.   DAVIS,   U.   S.  N. 


U.    S.    NAVAL      OBSERVATORY, 

i  87  6, 
/  L  1  l>  Ii  A  «  V 


. 

' 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
I  876. 


This  narrative  has  been  prepared  from  official  papers  and  from 
journals  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Expedition,  as  well  as  from 
valuable  private  contributions  acknowledged  in  the  text.  The  thread 
of  the  story  of  the  Polaris  has  been  drawn  chiefly  from  a  compilation 
made  by  Mr.  R.  W.  D.  Bryan,  the  Astronomer  of  the  Expedition  ; 
the  incidents  of  the  ice-floe  party  have  been  furnished  by  the  journals 
and  note-books  of  Geo.  E.  Tyson,  Assistant  Navigator,  and  of  others 
with  him  on  the  floe,  and  by  the  testimony  given  before  the  board 
organized  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  June  5,  1873. 


NOTE. 

The  final  revision  and  proof-correction  of  Chapters  XIX  to  XXV 
having  been  entrusted  to  me  by  Admiral  Davis  at  the  time  of  his  fail 
ing  health,  I  have  endeavored  to  present  this  part  of  the  Narrative 
with  the  accuracy  which  he  would  have  approved. 

J.  E.  NOURSE, 

Profr.  U.  S.  N. 
U.  S.  NAVAL  OBSERVATORY,  March  30,  1877. 


CONTENTS. 


TABLE     OF     CONTENTS. 


Page. 
INTRODUCTION 17-21 

CHAPTER  I. 

Captaiu  Hall's  Arrival  in  Washington — Lecture — Congressional  Action — Commission — Selection 
and  Fitting  Out  of  the  Periwinkle — Instructions  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy — Voyage  from 
Washington  to  New  York — Complement — Eeception  of  Hall  by  the  American  Geographi 
cal  Society — Hall's  Objects  and  Views — The  Smith's  Sound  Route — Ultimate  Purpose 25-43 

CHAPTER  II. 

Voyage  from  Now  London  to  St.  John's — Fiskernaes— Lichteufels— Holsteiuborg— Swedish  Scien 
tific  Expedition — Godhavu — The  United  States  Ship  Congress — Upernavik — Hans  Hendrick — 
Kiug-itoko — Tessi-Ussak — Prospects  on  Leaving  this  Port 47-GG 

CHAPTER  III. 

Sailing  Directions  on  Leaving  Tessi-Ussak — Crossing  Melville  Bay — Cape  York — Wolstcuholmc 
Sound — Walrus — Passing  Cape  Alexander — Smith's  Sound  Found  Open — Seeking  a  Harbor — 
Kennedy  Channel — First  Discovery — Highest  Point  Reached G9-8G 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Drifting  to  the  South — Seeking  a  Harbor — Consultation — Beset — A  Nip — Placing  Stores  on  the 

Ice — Casting  Off— Steaming  in  to  the  Land — At  Anchor  in  "Thank-God  Harbor" 80-106 

CHAPTER  V. 

Providence  Berg — Character  of  the  Land — Cape  Lupton — Surveys — Preparations  for  Winter — 
Ice  Movements — A  Wearisome  Walk — A  Hunting  Party — A  Musk-ox  Seen — Tidal  Observa 
tions — Pressure  of  the  Berg  upon  the  Polaris — Preparations  for  Sledge-journey — Routine 
Established  on  Board  the  Polaris 109-138 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Hall's  Instructions  to  Budington — Starts  on  Sledge-journey — Account  of  the  Journey — Last 
Sight  of  the  Sun — Newman's  Bay — Cape  Brevoort — Highest  Point  Reached  on  Laud — Dis 
patch,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Deposited — A  Storm — The  Return  to  the  Ship 141-170 


8  Contents. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Page. 
Captain  Hall's  Sickness,  Death,  aud  Burial 173-185 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Hall's  First  Interest  in  Arctic  Exploration — His  Expedition  of  1860-62  and  its  Results— Relics  of 
Frobisher's  Expeditions— Hall's  Second  Expedition,  1864-69— His  Letter  to  Judge  C.  P.  Daly 
Giving  its  Results— Object  of  this  Review — The  Scientific  Corps,  the  Officers,  and  the  Crew  of 
the  Polaris 189-214 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Employment  of  the  Crew  of  the  Polaris  during  the  Sickness  of  Captain  Hall 217-223 

CHAPTER  X. 

Command  of  the  Polaris  Devolves  on  Captain  Budington — Consultation  between  Captain  Buding- 
ton  and  Dr.  Bessels — Lime  Juice  Regularly  Served — A  Severe  Storm — The  Polaris  Adrift — 
Protected  by  Providrnco  Berg — A  Southwest  Gale — The  Polaris  Driven  toward  the  Shore — 
Thanksgiving  Day 227-249 

CHAPTER  XI. 

A  Busy  Crew — Halos  and  Auroras — Strain  on  tho  Vessel — Making  Sledges — Christinas  Eve — 
Christmas  Dinner— Situation  of  tho  Polaris — Discomforts — Welcoming  the  New  Year — 
Amount  of  Coal  on  Hand 253-271 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Blasting  Ice  About  the  Vessel — Pendulum  Observations — Increasing  Twilight — Auroras — Health 
of  tho  Crew— Open  Water  in  Robesou  Strait — Short  Excursions  from  the  Polaris— Observa 
tions  with  tho  Magnetometer— Heavy  Gales 275-292 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

A  Meteor— Auroras  and  Magnetic  Disturbances— Amusements— Parasclenie— Dr.  Besscls'  Sketch 

of  a  Plan  of  Operations— Washington's  Birthday— Return  of  the  Sun 295-316 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Winds  during  March— Strain  on  tho  Vessel— Increasing  Sunlight— Photograph  of  the  Polaris- 
Land  and  Water  Animals— Ferocity  of  tho  Dogs— Sledge-journey  to  tho  South 319-333 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Selection  of  the  Boats'  Crews  -Return  of  the  Sledge-party— Account  of  their  Journey— Descrip 
tion  of  an  Igloo— Petermann  Fiord— Cape  Morton— Cape  Bryan— Kennedy  Channel— A  Bear 
Killed— Signs  of  Scurvy— Musk-ox  Hunting— Tho  Sim  at  Midnight— Highest  Point  Reached 
on  Land— Boats  Taken  to  Cape  Lupton .  337-363 


Contents.  9 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Pago. 
Attempts,  to  Stop  the  Leak — Surveying — Mr.  Chester  Starts  on  Boat-journey — Loses  bis  Boat — 

Captain  Tyson  Starts — The  Heggleman  Canvas  Boat — Sawing  out  tho  Polaris — Unsuccessful 
Efforts  to  got  North — Inscription  on  Captain  Hall's  Grave — Fourth  of  July — Return  of  tho 
Boat-parties— Dangers  from  Ice  Movements — The  Decay  of  Vegetat  ion 367-39? 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Odell's  Monument — Necessity  of  Return  of  the  Expedition— Walks  to  Newman's  Bay — Much  Game 
— Birth  of  a  Boy — Polaris  Leaves  Thank-God  Harbor — Kennedy  Channel — Hans'  Island — 
Capo  Constitution — Beset — Struggles  with  the  Ice — Drifting — House  on  the  Floe — Tho  Leak 
— Signs  of  Scurvy — Seals — A  Bear — Cairn  Point — Heavy  Gale — Drifting  Rapidly — The  Nip — 
Throwing  Stores  on  the  Ice — The  Separation 401-435 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  Polaris  Afloat — A  Narrow  Escape — Land — Esquimaux — Building  a  House — Polaris  Aban 
doned — A  West-laud  Native — Hunting  Excursions — Etah  Esquimaux — Winter  Life — 
Friendly  Intercourse — Turning  Point  of  the  Winter 439-464 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Increase  of  Twilight— Obtaining  Fuel  from  tho  Ship— A  Window  Placed  in  the  House — 
Awahtah's  Bear-hunt — Pendulum  Observations — Mr.  Chester  Kills  a  Deer — The  Sun  at  Mid 
night — Dr.  Bessels'  Sledge-journey — Burial  of  Miouk — Mr.  Bryan's  Trip  to  Rensselaer  Har 
bor—Eclipse  of  the  Sun— Tho  Boats  Finished— Sonntag's  Grave— Ready  to  Start  South 467-496 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Leaving  Life-boat  Cove — Sorfalik — Hakluyt  Island — Boats  Beset — Dalryrnple  Islaml — Conical 
Rock — Picked  up  by  the  Ravenseraig — Lancaster  Sound — Scotch  Whalers — Taken  to  Scot 
land—Arrival  in  the  United  States 499-519 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  Ice-floe  Party— Efforts  to  Reach  the  Land  — The  Polaris  Sighted— Adrift  —  Sufferings- 
Thanksgiving  Day— Christmas— New  Year's  Day — The  Sun  Appears— Seals — Severe  Trials- 
Providential  Relief— A  Bear  Killed— Open  Water 523-554 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  Party  Abandon  tho  Floe— Many  Discomforts— Breaking  up  of  the  Ice— The  Party  Sep 
arated — Mr.  Meyer's  Danger— Heavy  Seas — Provisions  Nearly  Gone — The  Men  Exhausted — 
A  Seal  Killed— An  Alarming  Night— Saved  by  a  Bear— A  Steamer  Sighted— Picked  up  by 
the  Tigress— Arrival  at  St.  John's— Tho  Frolic  Brings  the  Party  to  Washington 557-576 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

The  Cruises  of  the  United  States  Steamers  Juuiata  and  Tigress  for  the  Rescue  of  the  Polaris  and 

her  Crew .  579-593 


10  Contents. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Pago. 
Examination  of  the  Ice-floe  and  the  Budiugtou  Parties  —Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry 5D7-G21 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Report  of  the  Prize  Commission  of  the  Geographical  Society  of  Paris,  Awarding  the  Roquette 

Medal  to  Captain  Hall G25-631 

APPENDIX. 

I.  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences G37-CG2 

II.  Correspondence  between  the  British  Admiralty  and  the  United  States  Navy  Department  in 

Relation  to  the  Stores  left  by  the  Polaris  Expedition  on  the  West  Coast  of  Greenland GG5-G72 

III.  Journals  of  Mr.  H.  C.  Chester  and  Captain  George  E.  Tyson  while  on  Boat-journeys,  Jnne- 

July,  1872 1 675-681 

IV.  Journals  used  in  the  Preparation  of  the  Narrative  of  the  Polaris  Expedition 685-686 

INDEX ..  689-G9G 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


A  Sledge  Party Stamp  for  cover. 

[Designed  and  drawn  by  Lieutenant  Commander  C.  n.  Davis.  U.  S.  N.] 

STEEL  ENGRAVINGS. 

[Executed  at  the  Bureau  of  Engraving,  United  States  Treasury  Department.l 

Portrait  of  Hall,  (from  a  photograph  taken  in  1863) Frontispiece. 

Vignette  of  the  Polaris,  (from  a  photograph  taken  at  the  Washington  navy-yard) Frontispiece. 

WOOD  ENGRAVINGS. 

[Painted  in  oil  by  Mr.  n.  J.  Morgan,  from  original  sketches  by  Mr.  Emil  Schumann  and  Dr.  Emil  Bcssels ;  photographed  on 
wood  by  Mr.  T.  W.  Smillie,  and  engraved  by  Mr.  H.  H.  Nichols.] 

Page. 
Fiskernaes 48 

Lichtenfels .' GO 

Holsteinborg 52 

Godhavii „• 54 

Working  Through  Ice 70 

Shooting  Walrus 72 

Passing  Fitz  Clarence  Eock 74 

Landing  Stores  on  the  Ice 100 

The  Polaris  in  Thank-God  Harbor.. 120 

Killing  the  First  Musk-Ox 134 

Funeral  of  Captain  Hall 182 

Captain  Hall's  Grave 185 

The  Polaris  Adrift 23G 

Fastening  to  Providence  Berg 238 

Ravine  near  Thank-God  Harbor 249 

Cape  Lupton 292 

An  Aurora 298 

The  Polaris  on  Providence  Berg 352 

The  Polaris  and  Providence  Berg . .  386 


1 2 .  Illustrations. 

Pago. 

Boat-Camp,  Newman's  Bay 394 

Captain  Tyson's  Boat 397 

Steaming  into  Kennedy  Channel 400 

Before  Separation,  October  15,  1872 v 428 

The  House  on  the  Floe 435 

Polaris  House 462 

Foulke  Fiord 494 

Boats  Passing  Sorfalik 500 

Boats  near  Hakluyt  Island 502 

Lauding  on  Northumberland  Island 504 

Boat  Camp,  Dairy niple  Island 506 

Sighting  the  Ravenscraig 510 

The  Separation,  October  15,  1872 524 

Upernavik 580 

Tessi-Ussak 588 

An  Arctic  Moonlight  Scene...  GOG 


Cairn  at  Cape  Brevoort 162 

Paraseleuai 304 

The  Roquette  Medal 631 

TAIL-PIECES. 

Esquimaux  Sledge 43 

Head  of  an  Esquimaux 66 

The  Polaris  Among  Ice 86 

An  Arc!  ic  Owl 106 

Seals  on  Ice 138 

The  Polaris  under  Sail  and  Steam 170 

An  Eagle '_ 314 

Head  of  an  Esquimaux  Dog 223 

A  Gull 271 

A  Greenland  Esquimaux  House 316 

An  Arctic  Fox .  333 

A  Polar  Bear 3(33 

An  Oomiak 4(54 

Reindeer 495 

A  Lumme 519 

Anlglo° 554 

Eider  Ducks r^-g 

An  Iceberg 59^ 

Walrus 


Illustrations.  1 3 

PHOTOLTTnOGRAPHS. 

Page. 
Scale-drawing  of  the  Polaris 28 

Deck-plans  of  the  Polaris 28 

[From  drawings  furnished  by  Naval  Constructor  B.  F.  Delano,  United  States  Navy.] 

MAPS. 

[Prepared  chiefly  from  the  charts  of  the  British  Admiralty  and  the  United  States  Hydrographic  Office.] 

General  Map 4G 

Track  of  Hall's  Last  Sledge-Journey 150 

Map  of  Hall's  First  and  Second  Arctic  Expeditions 194 

[The  last  two  maps  compiled,  in  a  great  measure,  from  original  materials.] 

Discoveries  of  the  Polaris - 356 

[As  no  records  of  surveys  were  brought  back  by  the  Expedition,  the  maps  of  the  new  lands  discovered  are  necessar 
ily  imperfect.  The  coaat-line  was  laid  down  as  accurately  as  possible,  after  all  the  members  of  the  Expedition  had 
been  examined  and  their  diverse  testimony  carefully  compared.  It  may  be  said  that  the  coast-lines  north  of  the 
82d  parallel  are  apocryphal.  Captain  Hall's  estimate  (see  page  165)  of  the  latitude  of  the  most  northern  land,  clearly 
seen,  is  perhaps  nearer  the  truth.] 

Track  of  the  Polaris  While  Beset 414 

Track  of  the  United  States  Steamers  Tigress  and  Juuiata 584 

[This  map  was  taken  from  the  report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  for  1873.] 


INTRODUCTION. 


ERRATA. 

Page  17,  for  J.  C.  Cist  read  L.  J.  Cist. 

Page  50,  for  Stark  read  Starick. 

Page  50,  for  Freiderickstadt  read  Friedrichsthal. 

Page  190,  for  Parry  read  Kellett. 

Page  191,  for  Mr.  Miles  Creen-wood,  and  Mr.  R.  M.  Bishop,  of  New  York,  read- 

Cincinnati. 

Page  357,  for  11  p.  m.  read  11  a.  m. 
Page  361,  for  boat  read  load. 


INTRODUCTION. 


It  appears  from  the  letters  and  papers  of  Captain 
Hall,  purchased  by  the  Government  from  his  widow  and 
now  in  possession  of  the  Navy  Department,  that  the  ex 
pedition  of  the  Polaris  to  the  Arctic  regions  originated 
with  him  and  was  carried  into  execution  according  to  his 
own  plans. 

During  two  prolonged  residences  among  the  Esqui 
maux — a  period,  to  use  his  own  language,  of  "  about 
eight  years " — he  repeatedly  speaks  of  his  desire  and 
purpose  to  lead  such  an  expedition.  Indeed,  as  far  back 
as  the  beginning  of  the  year  1863,  in  a  letter  written  to 
Mr.  J.  C.  Cist,  of  Saint  Louis,  shortly  after  his  return 
from  his  first  expedition,  he  says :  "  My  third  voyage  to 
the  Arctic  regions  will  be  (D.  V.)  for  discovery,  to  the 
northern  axis  of  the  great  globe."  This  resolution  he 
steadily  maintained  until  the  opportunity  presented  itself 
for  carrying  it  into  execution. 


18  Introduction. 

In  order  to  show  this  more  fully,  and  to  furnish  at 
the  same  time  the  means  of  making  a  just  estimate  of  his 
character  and  purpose,  the  following  extracts  are  given 
from  his  journal : 

"April  14,  1865. — We  are  nearly  all  ready  for  the 
proposed  removal.  North,  north,  farther  and  farther 
NORTH,  I  long  to  get.  Though  the  locality  of  King 
William's  Land  is  all  I  aspire  to  on  this  present  journey, 
yet  I  never  will  he  satisfied  in  voyaging  and  traveling  in 
the  Arctic  regions  until  I  shall  reach  that  spot  of  this 
great  and  glorious  orb  of  God's  creation  where  there  is  no 
North,  no  East,  no  West.  Of  course,  that  mundane  point 
is  the  one  nearly  under  Polaris." 

"  March  4, 1866. — The  end  will  soon  be,  I  trust,  when 
I  shall  have  done  what  I  came  to  this  country  to  do,  and 
then  may  God  grant  me  the  opportunity  and  the  proper 
means  to  make  my  way  to  the  north  extreme  of  His 
glorious  earth." 

"February  16,  1869. — I  must  (Deo  volente)  do  up 
all  my  work  for  which  I  came  into  this  country  this 
spring  and  coming  summer,  for  I  long  to  return  to  Amer 
ica,  to  prepare  at  once  for  my  expedition  to  the  North 
Pole.  Night  and  day,  day  and  night,  weeks,  months, 
and  years,  find  my  heart  and  purposes  fixed,  without  a 
shadow  of  wavering,  on  making  that  voyage.  May 
Heaven  spare  my  life  to  perform  it." 


Introduction.  19 

The  following  extract  is  from  a  letter  written  in  1869 
to  Mr.  A.  B.  Johnson,  president  of  the  Teachers'  Institute 
of  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  on  accepting  an  invitation  to 
lecture  before  the  Institute: 

•  "Although  the  primary  object  of  my  voyages  to  the 
North  has  not  been  for  geography,  yet  I  have  been  en 
abled  to  make  considerable  advance  in  geographical  dis 
coveries.  There  is  a  great  sad  blot  upon  the  present  age, 
which  ought  to  be  wiped  out,  and  this  is  the  blank  on  our 
maps  and  artificial  globes  from  about  the  parallel  of  80° 
North  up  to  the  North  Pole.  I,  for  one,  hang  my  head  in 
shame,  when  I  think  how  many  thousands  of  years  ago 
it  was  that  God  gave  to  man  this  beautiful  world — the 
whole  of  it — to  subdue,  and  yet  that  part  of  it  which 
must  be  most  interesting  and  glorious,  at  least  so  to  me, 
remains  as  unknown  to  us  as  though  it  had  never  been 
created.  Having  now  completed  my  Arctic  collegiate  ed 
ucation,  I  feel  to  spend  my  life  in  extending  our  knowl 
edge  of  the  earth  up  to  that  spot  which  is  directly  under 
Polaris — the  crowning  jewel  of  the  Arctic  dome.  I  hope 
to  start  on  my  next  voyage  next  spring.  Shortly,  I 
expect  to  apply  to  our  Government  for  its  aid,  feeling  that 
the  day  has  come  when  the  great  problem  of  ages  on 
ages  must  be  solved  under  the  stars  and  stripes." 

March  29,  1870,  he  writes  to  the  Senate  Committee 
on  Foreign  Relations: 


20  Introduction. 

"For  years  I  have  had  it  in  my  mind  that  when  I 
should  complete  the  mission  relative  to  Sir  John  Frank 
lin's  expedition — that  is,  should  recover  some  of  Franklin's 
companions,  or  should  become  satisfied  that  none  existed — 
I  would  return  to  my  country  and  prepare  for  making  a 
third  voyage  to  the  Arctic  regions,  especially  for  making 
geographical  discoveries,  even  up  to  the  north  extremity 
of  the  axis  of  our  globe. 

Neither  glory  nor  money  has  caused  me  to  devote  my 
very  life  and  soul  to  Arctic  exploration." 

These  quotations  are  given  precisely  in  the  form  and 
language  in  which  they  were  written.  Hall  had  ex 
pressed  himself  in  like  terms  to  that  fast  friend  of  this,  as 
of  previous  Arctic  explorations,  Mr.  Henry  Grinnell  of 
New  York  City,  writing  to  him  from  Washington  on  the 
8th  of  March,  1870,  thus:  "In  three  to  five  years,  1 
doubt  not,  with  the  same  aid  and  protection  of  high 
Heaven  as  on  my  two  previous  Arctic  voyages,  I  would 
fully  accomplish  the  determination  of  my  burning  soul, 
which  determination,  my  dear  Mr.  Grinnell,  you  know  to 
be  to  put  my  foot  on  the  north  extremity  of  the  axis  of 
the  globe." 


Introduction.  21 

Thus  it  appears  that  Captain  Hall,  in  single-minded 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  Arctic  exploration,  is  worthy  to 
be  placed  by  the  side  of  Parry,  Franklin,  and  Kane. 
This  devotion  was  not  merely  a  sentiment;  on  the  con 
trary,  during  his  long  residence  among  the  Esquimaux, 
his  constant  aim  was  to  qualify  himself  for  this  service  by 
adopting,  throughout,  the  Esquimaux  mode  of  life ;  by 
habituating  himself  to  their  manners  and  customs ;  and  by 
acquiring  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  geography  of  the 
Arctic  regions  and  of  the  native  mode  of  traveling.  On 

o  o 

his  return  from  this  region  in  1869,  he  immediately  be 
gan,  by  lecturing  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States,  to 
mature  a  public  opinion  favorable  to  his  enterprise. 
After  lecturing  in  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Pittsburgh,  Cin 
cinnati,  and  several  other  cities  as  far  west  as  Indianap 
olis,  he  went  to  Washington  and  commenced  those  efforts 
which  terminated  successfully  in  procuring  the  appropria 
tion  granted  by  Congress  for  the  Polaris  Expedition. 


•""l,  1  H  H  ^  l{  Y 

UNIVKItSITY   Of 


CHAPTER   I. 


Captain  Hall  arrived  in  Washington  January  30,  I87O. 
1870.  A  few  days  after  his  arrival  he  called  on  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  who  manifested  so  great 
an  interest  in  the  proposed  Arctic  researches  as  to  draw 
from  Hall  a  statement  of  his  life  and  experiences  among 
the  Esquimaux.  Hall  was  strongly  impressed  not  only 
by  the  President's  sympathy  and  kindness  but  also  by 
the  knowledge  he  displayed  of  the  whole  field  of  Arctic 
exploration. 

It  may  be  stated  here,  once  for  all,  that  the  authority 
for  everything  relating  to  Hall,  personally,  is  derived 
from  his  correspondence  chiefly  addressed  to  the  late  Mr. 
Henry  Grinnell  of  New  York,  and  to  Mr.  J.  Carson  Bre- 
voort  of  Brooklyn. 

On  the  2d  of  March  he  accepted  an  invitation  to 
lecture  on  his  ''Arctic  Expeditions,  Past  and  Prospect 
ive,"  signed  by  the  Vice- President,  by  members  of  the 
Cabinet,  Senators,  Representatives,  and  citizens  of  Wash- 


26  Hall's  Lecture  in    Washington. 

187O.  ington.  This  lecture,  delivered  March  5th  in  Lincoln 
Hall,  was  attended  by  the  President  and  by  many  dis 
tinguished  citizens  in  public  and  private  life,  who  mani 
fested  a  deep  interest  in  Captain  Hall's  work. 

In  a  private  letter  to  his  friend,  Mr.  Grinnell,  he 
speaks  of  this  fact  with  feeling,  and  dwells  particularly  on 
the  marks  of  approbation  which  the  mention  of  the  appro 
priation  for  the  proposed  expedition  elicited.  The  histor 
ical  part  of  this  lecture,  illustrated  by  maps  and  charts, 
related  chiefly  to  the  expedition  of  Franklin,  and  the  fate 
of  his  officers  and  men.  Next  to  this,  that  which  most 
engaged  the  attention  of  the  audience  was  a  full  descrip 
tion  of  Esquimaux  habits  and  life,  domestic  and  nomadic, 
in  all  particulars ;  exemplified,  to  some  extent  by  the 
natives  Ebierbing  (Joe),  and  Tookolitoo  (Hannah],  his 
wife,  who  were  present  with  their  child  Punny  (Sylvia). 

On  the  8th  of  March,  1870,  a  joint  resolution  rela 
tive  to  a  voyage  to  the  Arctic  regions  was  introduced  in 
the  House  of  Representatives  by  Hon.  J.  Stevenson, 
of  Ohio,  which,  after  having  been  read  a  second  time, 
was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Appropriations.  This 
committee  had  been  already  prepared  for  the  subject  by 
memorials  proceeding  from  distinguished  sources  in  vari 
ous  parts  of  the  country. 

On  the  25th  of  March,  1870,  Hon.  John  Sherman, 
of  Ohio,  obtained  the  unanimous  consent  of  the  Senate  to 


Congressional  Action.  27 

bring  in  a  similar  resolution;  which  was  read  twice  and  187O. 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations.  On  the 
19th  of  April  Hon.  Charles  Summer,  chairman  of  that 
committee,  reported  the  resolution  with  amendments;  and 
on  the  23d  of  May  Mr.  Sumner  introduced  the  amended 
resolution  as  an  amendment  to  the  general  appropriation 
bill.  Upon  its  adoption  the  Senate  was  equally  divided ; 
Vice-President  Colfax  secured  it  by  his  casting  vote.  On 
the  9th  of  July  the  House  of  Representatives  agreed  to 
the  amendment,  provided  that  the  sum  of  §50,000  was 
inserted  in  the  place  of  $100,000 ;  in  which  amendment 
the  Senate  the  same  day  concurred. 

The  appropriation  finally  passed  in  the  following 
terms,  (sec.  9  of  the  Legislative,  Executive,  and  Judicial 
Appropriation  bill:) 

"J3e  it  enacted,  That  the  President  of  the  United 
States  be  authorized  to  organize  and  send  out  one  or  more 
expeditions  toward  the  North  Pole,  and  to  appoint  such 
person  or  persons  as  he  may  deem  most  fitted  to  the  com 
mand  thereof;  to  detail  any  officer  of  the  public  service 
to  take  part  in  the  same,  and  to  use  any  public  vessel  that 
may  be  suitable  for  the  purpose;  the  scientific  operations 
of  the  expeditions  to  be  prescribed  in  accordance  with  the 
advice  of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences ;  and  that 
the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  or  such  part  thereof  as 
may  be  necessary,  be  hereby  appropriated,  out  of  any 


28  HalVs  Commission. 

187O.  moneys  in  the  Treasury  not  otherwise  appropriated,  to  be 
expended  under  the  direction  of  the  President." 

The  act  was  approved  by  the  President,  July  12, 
at  which  time  the  actual  history  of  this  expedition  begins. 

Eight  days  after  its  approval  the  President  of  the 
United  States  issued  to  Captain  Hall  the  following  com 
mission  appointing  him  commander  of  the  expedition 
toward  the  North  Pole  : 

"EXECUTIVE    MANSION, 

"Washington,  D.  C.,  July  20,  1870. 
"DEAR  SIR:  You  are  hereby  appointed  to  command 
the  expedition  toward  the  North  Pole,  to  be  organized 
and  sent  out  pursuant  to  an  act  of  Congress  approved 
July  12,  1870,  and  will  report  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  for  detailed  in 
structions. 

"U.  S.  GRANT. 
"Capt.  C.  F.  HALL." 

The  President  also  sanctioned  the  selection  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  of  a  vessel  suitable  for  the  pur 
pose.  The  United  States  Steamer  Periwinkle,  fourth- 
rate,  a  staunch  tug  of  387  tons  burden,  was  selected. 

In  order  to  qualify  her  for  the  service,  she  was 
hauled  up  on  the  ways  at  the  Washington  navy-yard;  her 
wales,  planking,  clamps,  and  ceiling  were  removed,  and 


I 
I 

: 
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f 

i 

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1 

1 

i   i 

I 

The   Vessel  29 

her  decks  were  taken  out.  She  was  newly  and  heavily  1871. 
timbered  and  her  depth  increased,  making  the  vessel  about 
400  tons.  She  was  newly  planked  inside  and  out,  new 
deck-beams  of  increased  size  were  put  in,  and  new  plank 
ing  was  given  her.  The  bottom  was  thoroughly  calked, 
then  double-planked,  calked,  and  coppered.  New  bulk 
heads  and  inboard  works,  new  spars,  rigging,  sails,  and 
boats  were  added.  The  propeller-well  and  shoe  were 
protected  against  accident,  and  all  of  the  fittings  were 
made  as  required  to  meet  any  contingencies  which  might 
arise  during ,  the  perilous  voyage.  Everything  deemed 
necessary  for  safety  and  comfort  was  done  to  the  vessel 
which  professional  skill  could  suggest.  No  vessel,  even  if 
especially  built,  could  have  been  better  adapted  to  the 
service  than  the  Periwinkle. 

The  Periwinkle,  thus  rebuilt,  was  launched  at  the 
Washington  navy -yard  April  25,  1871,  and  named  the 
Polaris  by  her  future  commander,  under  his  sanguine  ex 
pectation  of  the  fullest  success. 

On  the  31st  of  May,  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  other  high  officers 
of  the  Government,  inspected  the  vessel  and  were  enter 
tained  by  her  commander. 

She  sailed  from  Washington  June  10,  1871,  under 
the  following  instructions : 


3Q  Instructions. 

"NAVY  DEPARTMENT,  June  9,  1871. 
"SiR:  Having  been  appointed,  by  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  commander  of  the  expedition  toward 
the  North  Pole,  and  the  steamer  Polaris  having  been  fitted, 
equipped,  provisioned,  and  assigned  for  the  purpose,  you 
are  placed  in  command  of  the  said  vessel,  her  officers  and 
crew,  for  the  purposes  of  the  said  expedition.  Having 
taken  command,  you  will  proceed  in  the  vessel,  at  the 
earliest  possible  date,  from  the  navy-yard  in  this  city  to 
New  York.  From  New  York  you  will  proceed  to  the  first 
favorable  port  you  are  able  to  make  on  the  west  coast  of 
Greenland,  stopping,  if  you  deem  it  desirable,  at  St.  John, 
Newfoundland.  From  the  first  port  made  by  you  on  the 
west  coast  of  Greenland,  if  farther  south  than  Holstein- 
borg,  you  will  proceed  to  that  port,  and  thence  to  God- 
havn,  (or  Lievely),  in  the  island  of  Disco.  At  some  one  of 
the  ports  above  referred  to  you  will  probably  meet  a  trans 
port,  sent  by  the  Department,  with  additional  coal  and 
stores,  from  which  you  will  supply  yourself  to  the  fullest 
carrying  capacity  of  the  Polaris.  Should  you  fall  in  with 
the  transport  before  making  either  of  the  ports  aforesaid, 
or  should  you  obtain  information  of  her  being  at,  or  hav 
ing  landed  her  stores  at,  any  port  south  of  the  island  of 
Disco,  you  will  at  once  proceed  to  put  yourself  in  commu 
nication  with  the  commander  of  the  transport,  and  supply 
yourself  with  the  additional  stores  and  coal,  taking  such 


Instructions.  31 

"measures  as  may  be  most  expedient  and  convenient  for  1871. 
that  purpose.  Should  you  not  hear  of  the  transport  before 
reaching  Holsteinborg,  you  will  remain  at  that  port,  wait 
ing  for  her  and  your  supplies,  as  long  as  the  object  of  your 
expedition  will  permit  you  to  delay  for  that  purpose. 
After  waiting  as  long  as  is  safe,  under  all  the  circum 
stances  as  they  may  present  themselves,  you  will,  if  you 
do  not  hear  of  the  transport,  proceed  to  Disco,  as  above 
provided.  At  Disco,  if  you  hear  nothing  of  the  transport, 
you  will,  after  waiting  as  long  as  you  deem  it  safe,  supply 
yourself,  as  far  as  you  may  be  able,  with  such  supplies  and 
articles  as  you  may  need,  and  proceed  on  your  expedition 
without  further  delay.  From  Disco  you  will  proceed  to 
Upernavik.  At  these  two  last-named  places  you  will  pro 
cure  dogs  and  other  Arctic  outfits.  If  you  think  it  of  ad 
vantage  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  dogs,  &c.,  to  stop  at 
Tossak,  you  will  do  so.  From  Upernavik,  or  Tossak,  as 
the  case  may  be,  you  will  proceed  across  Melville  Bay  to 
Cape  Dudley  Digges,  and  thence  you  will  make  all  pos 
sible  progress,  with  vessels;  boats,  and  sledges,  toward  the 
North  Pole,  using  your  own  judgment  as  to  the  route  or 
routes  to  be  pursued  and  the  locality  for  each  winter's 
quarters.  Having  been  provisioned  and  equipped  for  two 
and  a  half  years,  you  will  pursue  your  explorations  for 
that  period;  but  should  the  object  of  the  expedition  re 
quire  it,  you  will  continue  your  explorations  to  such  a  fur- 


32  Instructions. 

1871.  "  ther  length  of  time  as  your  supplies  maybe  safely  extended. 
Should,  however,  the  main  object  of  the  expedition,  viz., 
attaining  the  position  of  the  North  Pole,  be  accomplished 
at  an  earlier  period,  you  will  return  to  the  United  States 
with  all  convenient  dispatch. 

"  There  being  attached  to  the  expedition  a  scientific 
department,  its  operations  are  prescribed  in  accordance 
with  the  advice  of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences, 
as  required  by  the  law.  Agreeably  to  this  advice,  the 
charge  and  direction  of  the  scientific  operations  will  be 
intrusted,  under  your  command,  to  Dr.  Emil  Bessels;  and 
you  will  render  Dr.  Bessels  and  his  assistants  all  such 
facilities  and  aids  as  may  be  in  your  power,  to  carry  into 
effect  the  said  further  advice,  as  given  in  the  instructions" 
herewith  furnished  in  a  communication  from  the  president 
of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences.  It  is,  however, 
important  that  objects  of  natural  history,  ethnology,  &c., 
&c.,  which  may  be  collected  by  any  person  attached  to 
the  expedition,  shall  be  delivered  to  the  chief  of  the  scien 
tific  department,  to  be  cared  for  by  him,  under  your  direc 
tion,  and  considered  the  property  of  the  Government; 
and  every  person  be  strictly  prohibited  from  keeping  any 
such  object.  You  will  direct  every  qualified  person  in 
the  expedition  to  keep  a  private  journal  of  the  progress 

*  For  these  instructions  of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences  see 
Appendix  I. 


Instructions.  33 

"of  the  expedition,  and  enter  on  it  events,  observations,  1871. 
and  remarks,  of  any  nature  whatsoever.  These  journals 
shall  be  considered  confidential,  and  read  by  no  person 
other  than  the  writer.  Of  these  journals  no  copy  shall 
be  made.  Upon  the  return  of  the  expedition  you  will 
demand  of  each  of  the  writers  his  journal,  which  it  is 
hereby  ordered  he  shall  deliver  to  you.  Each  writer  is  to 
be  assured  that  when  the  records  of  the  expedition  are 
published  he  shall  receive  a  copy;  the  private  journals  to 
be  returned  to  the  writer,  or  not,  at  the  option  of  the 
Government;  but  each  writer,  in  the  published  records, 
shall  receive  credit  for  such  part  or  parts  of  his  journal 
as  may  be  used  in  said  records.  You  will  use  every 
opportunity  to  determine  the  position  of  all  capes,  head 
lands,  islands,  &c.,  the  lines  of  coasts,  take  soundings, 
observe  tides  and  currents,  and  make  all  such  surveys  as 
may  advance  our  knowledge  of  the  geography  of  the 
Arctic  regions. 

•'You  will  give  special  written  directions  to  the  sailing 
and  ice-master  of  the  expedition,  Mr.  8.  0.  Budington, 
and  to  the  chief  of  the  scientific  department,  Dr.  E.  Bes- 
sels,  that  in  case  of  your  death  or  disability — a  contin 
gency  we  sincerely  trust  may  not  arise — they  shall  con 
sult  as  to  the  propriety  and  manner  of  carrying  into 
further  effect  the  foregoing  instructions,  which  I  here  urge 
must,  if  possible,  be  done.  The  results  of  their  consul- 


34  Instructions. 

1871.  "tations,  and  the  reasons  therefor,  must  be  put  in  writing, 
and  kept  as  part  of  the  records  of  the  expedition.  In 
any  event,  however,  Mr.  Budington  shall,  in  case  of 
your  death  or  disability,  continue  as  the  sailing  and  ice- 
master,  and  control  and  direct  the  movements  of  the  ves 
sel  ;  and  Dr.  Bessels  shall,  in  such  case,  continue  as  chief 
of  the  scientific  department,  directing  all  sledge-journeys 
and  scientific  operations.  In  the  possible  contingency  of 
their  non-agreement  as  to  the  course  to  be  pursued,  then 
Mr.  Budington  shall  assume  sole  charge  and  command, 
and  return  with  the  expedition  to  the  United  States  with 
all  possible  dispatch. 

"You  will  transmit  to  this  Department,  as  often  as 
opportunity  offers,  reports  of  your  progress  and  results 
of  your  search,  detailing  the  route  of  your  proposed  ad 
vance.  At  the  .most  prominent  points  of  your  progress 
you  will  erect  conspicuous  skeleton  stone  monuments, 
depositing  near  each,  in  accordance  with  the  cpnfident- 
ial  marks  agreed  upon,  a  condensed  record  of  your  pro 
gress,  with  a  description  of  the  route  upon  which  you 
propose  to  advance,  making  caches  of  provisions,  &c.,  if 
you  deem  fit. 

"In  the  event  of  the  necessity  for  finally  abandoning 
your  vessel,  you  will  at  once  endeavor  to  reach  localities 
frequented  by  whaling  or  other  ships,  making  every  exer 
tion  to  send  to  the  United  States  information  of  your 


Instructions.  3 

" party,  preserving,  as  far  as  may  be,  the  records  of,  and     1871. 

all  possible  objects  and  specimens  collected,  in  the  expe-. 
dition. 

"All  persons  attached  to  the  expedition  are  under 
your  command,  and  shall,  under  every  circumstance  and 
condition,  be  subject  to  the  rules,  regulations,  and  laws 
governing  the  discipline  of  the  Navy,  to  be  modified,  but 
not  increased,  by  you  as  the  circumstances  may  in  your 
judgment  require. 

• 

"To  keep  the  Government  as  well  informed  as  possi 
ble  of  your  progress,  you  will,  after  passing  Cape  Dudley 
Digges,  throw  overboard  daily,  as  open  water  or  drifting 
ice  may  permit,  a  bottle  or  small  copper  cylinder,  closely 
sealed,  containing  a  paper,  stating  date,  position,  and  such 
other  facts  as  you  may  deem  interesting.  For  this  pur 
pose  you  will  have  prepared  papers  containing  a  request, 
printed  in  several  languages,  that  the  finder  transmit  it 
by  the  most  direct  route  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
Washington,  United  States  of  America. 

"Upon  the  return  of  the  expedition  to  the  United 
States,  you  will  transmit  your  own  and  all  other  records 
to  the  Department.  You  will  direct  Dr.  Bessels  to  trans 
mit  all  the  scientific  records  and  collections  to  the  Smith 
sonian  Institution,  Washington. 

"  The  history  of  the  expedition  will  be  prepared  by 
yourself,  from  all  the  journals  and  records  of  the  expedi- 


36  Voyage  to  New   York. 

1871.  "tion,  under  the  supervision  of  the  Department.  All  the 
.records  of  the  scientific  results  of  the  expedition  will  be 
prepared,  supervised,  and  edited  by  Dr.  JBessels,  under 
the  direction  and  authority  of  the  president  of  the  Na 
tional  Academy  of  Sciences. 

"  Wishing  for  you  and  your  brave  comrades  health, 
happiness,  and  success  in  your  daring  enterprise,  and  com 
mending  you  and  them  to  the  protecting  care  of  the  God 
who  rules  the  universe, 

"  I  am,  very  respectfully,  yours, 

"GEO.    M.    ROBESON, 

"Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
"CHAS.  F.  HALL, 

"Commanding  Expedition  toward  the  North  Pole." 

During  the  brief  voyage  of  the  Polaris  to  New  York 
her.  officers  and  crew  entered  upon  their  duties  with  en 
ergy  and  good  conduct.  The  working  of  her  engine  was 
satisfactory.  At  New  York  Mr.  George  E.  Tyson  joined 
the  Polaris  as  assistant  navigator  and  master  of  sledges. 
The  outfit  of  the  expedition  was  also  completed.  The 
Polaris  was  still  further  strengthened ;  some  changes  were 
made  in  her  muster-roll,  and  everything  in  the  way  of 
supplies  particularly  adapted  to  Arctic  exploration  was 
placed  on  board  the  vessel  in  abundance. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  she  left  New  York  for  New 
London,  and  finally  sailed  from  the  United  States  July  3d, 


The  Complement.  37 

with  the  following  complement  of  officers  (including  the     1871. 
scientific  staff)  and  men: 

Commander,  Charles  F.  Hall; 

Sailing-master,  Sidney  0.  Budington ; 

Assistant  navigator,  George  E.  Tyson; 

Mate,  H.  C.  Chester; 

Second  mate,  William  Morton; 

Chief  engineer,  Emil  Schumann; 

Assistant  engineer,  A.  A.  Odell ; 

Carpenter,  N.  J.  Coffin    (joined  the 

ship  at  Disco). 
Scientific  staff: 

Chief  of  corps,  Emil  Bessels,  surgeon ; 

Astronomer,  R.  W.  I).  Bryan  (joined 
the  ship  at  Disco) ; 

Meteorologist,  Frederick  Meyer. 

* 

Besides  the  crew  of  fourteen  men  there  were  two  in 
terpreters,  the  Esquimaux,  "Joe,"  and  his  wife  "Hannah." 

Having  now  fairly  launched  Captain  Hall  on  his 
voyage  of  Arctic  exploration,  we  may  pause  a  moment  to 
give  a  more  detailed  statement  of  his  views  and  objects. 
While  in  New  York  closing  his  preparations,  Hall  had 
enjoyed  the  honor  of  a  public  reception  by  the  Ameri 
can  Geographical  Society.  He  had  pointed  out  on  a  large 
Arctic  map  the  route  which  he  proposed  to  follow ;  referred 


38  American   Geographical  Society. 

1871.  to  his  long  residences  among  the  Esquimaux,  which  had 
for  their  object  the  determination  of  the  fate  of  Sir  John 
Franklin's  party ;  and  dwelt  with  earnestness  and  grati 
tude  on  the  aid  he  had  received  from  the  Government, 
and  upon  the  high  expectations  he  had  formed  of  the  suc 
cess  of  his  "mission."  Bat  the  view  which  it  is  proposed 
to  give  of  Hall's  fundamental  conceptions,  is  taken  in  a 
great  measure  from  his  own  private  papers,  elucidated  in 
some  instances  by  the  letters  of  his  most  intimate  friends 
In  the  presence  of  the  very  distinguished  audience  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Geographical  Society,  to  which  he  was 
introduced  by  their  president,  Judge  C.  P.  Daly,  Hall  said 
of  himself  that  he  would  rather  make  a  sledge-journey  to 
the  North  Pole  than  speak;  adding  that  he  had  been 
unable  to  make  preparation  to  appear  before  such  an 
audience  in  consequence  of  the  overwhelming  occupations 
which  had  engrossed  his  time  and  thoughts. 

It  is  indispensable,  however,  to  a  just  appreciation 
of  his  energy,  intellect,  and  devotion,  that  his  far-reaching 
views  on  the  subject  of  Arctic  explorations  should  be 
given  from  his  testimony  before  Congress,  and  from  his 
own  writings  and  the  language  of  friends  to  whom  these 
views  were  freely  communicated.  In  letters  of  the  18th 
and  19th  of  February,  addressed  to  Mr.  Grinnell  and  Mr. 
Brevoort,  he  entered  upon  a  particular  examination  of  the 
best  method  of  approaching  the  North  Pole,  and  of  the 


Letter  to  Judge  Daly. 

time  and  means  required,  in  his  judgment,  to  carry  it  into     1871. 
execution.     The  objects  of  his  proposed  voyage  are  then 
presented  as  threefold,  viz:  1st,  geographical  discovery; 
2d,  science;    3d,  commerce. 

Taking  up  the  last  subject  first,  as  the  most  practical,  it 
will  be  found  that  Hall  points  out  the  probability  of  discov 
ering  new  whaling-grounds  along  the  proposed  route ;  and 
this  he  considers  as  quite  sufficient  of  itself  to  justify  the 
Government  in  setting  on  foot  an  expedition.  In  a  letter 
to  Judge  Daly,  dated  Washington,  April  9,  1871,  he 
thus  writes  : 

"From  Esquimaux  at  Igloolik  I  also  obtained  impor 
tant  information  of  a  new  bay  that  will  not  only  be  of 
interest  to  geographers,  but  must,  I  think,  eventually  be 
of  great  value  to  our  commerce.  The  entrance  to  this 
bay  has  only  been  seen,  and  is  indicated  upon  the  Arctic 
charts  as  Admiralty  Inlet.  Nothing  has  been  known, 
however,  by  civilized  men,  of  this  bay  or  of  its  character. 
The  entrance  is  from  Barrow  Strait,  lat.  73°  43'  N.,  loner. 

'  '  O 

83°  W.,  and  the  bay  extends  very  nearly  in  a  southerly 
direction  to  about  71°  N.  lat.  The  west  side  has  a  coast 
line  on  a  gradual  curve  from  Barrow  Strait  to  near  its 
limit,  the  concave  on  the  east,  while  the  west  (east?)  side 
has  many  bays  or  fiords,  with  some  good  harbors  in  them. 
The  bay  is  free  from  ice  every  summer,  and  none  of  the 
ice  from  Barrow  Strait  ever  finds  its  way  into  it. 


40  Whale-fisheries. 

1871.  "This  bay  abounds  in  whales  (Balcena  mysticetus, 

or  smooth-back,  the  most  important  to  civilized  man),  in 
narwhals  (the  sea-unicorn),  and  in  seals.  So  abundant 
are  the  whales  that  the  natives  sometimes  kill,  in  their 
rude  way,  as  many  as  five  large  ones  in  a  few  days. 

"  The  information  which  I  derived  from  the  Esqui 
maux  has  convinced  me  that  this  new  bay  will  prove  as 
valuable  to  whalers  as  Cumberland  Sound.  From  1840 
to  the  present  time,  the  products  of  whalebone  and  oil 
from  Cumberland  Sound,  by  English  and  American 
whalers,  have  amounted  to  $15,000,000;  and  as  the  area 
of  the  whale-fishery  is  gradually  diminishing,  the  fact  of 
the  existence  of  this  bay  I  regard  as  of  great  value,  as 
opening  up  a  new  ground  for  the  prosecution  of  this  im 
portant  industry." 

It  was  known  to  him,  who  had  passed  many  years 
upon  and  near  the  old  whaling-grounds,  that  some  of 
them  were  very  near  experiencing  the  fate  of  those 
famous  fishing-grounds  of  the  tropical  seas  of  the  Pacific, 
which  have  been  deserted.  He  believed  that  other  and 
new  haunts  of  oil-bearing  animals  remained  to  be  discov 
ered,  and  this  belief  was  rationally  based  on  observation 
and  experience  since  the  days  of  that  sturdy  old  pioneer, 
Davis. 

The  importance  of  this  expectation  is  now  brought 
very  prominently  into  notice  by  the  extraordinary  devel- 


HaWs  Plan.  41 

opment  of  the  English  jute  trade  with  Calcutta,  the  sue-  1871. 
cessful  manufacture  of  which  article  depends  entirely  on 
the  cargoes  of  oil  brought  from  the  Arctic  regions,  and 
landed  chiefly  at  Dundee,  by  the  side  of  the  jute  manu 
factories,  as  appears  in  the  "  Statement  exhibiting  the 
moral  arid  material  progress  and  condition  of  India  during 
the  year  1872-73." 

As  for  his  first  object— geographical  discovery  carried 
so  far  that  we  should  be  no  longer  ignorant  of  the  geog 
raphy,  topography,  and  resources  of  any  part  of  our 
northern  hemisphere — he  has  the  entire  sympathy  of  the 
civilized  world. 

As  respects  science,  Hall,-  though  not  himself  a  man 
of  scientific  education  and  attainments,  possessed  judg 
ment  and  sagacity  altogether  too  large  and  comprehensive 
not  to  be  fully  alive  to  the  importance  of  its  promotion ; 
and  not  to  know  that  every  accession,  whether  of  law  or 
fact,  to  its  domain,  tended  to  the  benefit  of  mankind. 
Upon  this  point  all  will  heartily  join  in  the  opinion  ex 
pressed  by  one  of  Hall's  most  accomplished  friends  and 
admirers,  Mr.  J.  C.  Brevoort,  president  of  the  Long 
Island  Historical  Society,  that  Hall  was  all  the  more  fit 
for  his  undertaking  because  he  was  not  wredded  to  any 
particular  branch  of  science,  but  that,  like  Livingstone,  he 
devoted  all  his  energies  to  geographical  discovery. 

His  views  of  Arctic  investigation  were  much  more 


42  A   Change  of  Plan. 

1871.  comprehensive  than  might  be  inferred  from  the  means 
and  material  employed  in  this  his  last  expedition.  His 
own  plan  embraced  two  vessels,  one  a  steamer,  the  other 
a  sailing-vessel,  together  with  a  large  supply  of  dogs  and 
sledges.  If  he  could  have  carried  out  this  plan,  he  meant 
to  maintain  an  occasional  communication  between  himself 
and  the  civilized  world,  wherever  he  might  be.  And 
there  is  no  doubt  that,  for  the  accomplishment  of  this,  he 
would  have  turned  to  a  good  account  his  familiarity  with 
Esquimaux  life,  language,  and  customs.  Thus  he  would 
have  been  able  not  only  to  report  progress,  but  to  receive 
additional  aid  from  home.  Such  was  his  expectation. 
If  we  carry  our  minds  back  to  the  history  of  Arctic  ex 
ploration,  we  perceive  at  once  how  many  evils  are  avoided 
and  how  many  advantages  are  reaped  by  this  joint  co 
operation.  Both  the  present  English  and  the  proposed 
German  expedition  are  based  upon  this  plan.  This  par 
ticular  subject  may  be  resumed  in  a  future  chapter. 

One  feature  of  his  original  plan  Hall  found  occasion 
to  change. 

It  appears  in  the  correspondence  already  named  that 
it  was,  at  first,  his  settled  purpose  to  go  by  the  way  of 
Jones  Sound.  This  purpose  he  announced  in  letters  to 
Mr.  Brevoort  of  January  21,  1870,  and  in  one  to  Mr. 
Grinnell,  of  an  approximate  date.  He  was  led  to  the 
choice  of  this  route  by  the  opinions  of  his  friends,  the  Es- 


His   Ultimate  Purpose.  43 

quimaux,  and  by  Kane's  experience  in  Smith's  Sound.  1871. 
But  he  found  occasion  to  change  this  opinion  before  he 
left  the  United  States.  And  we  shall  see  further  on,  that, 
on  his  arrival  at  Holsteinborg  Harbor,  he  received  infor 
mation  from  Baron  Von  Otter  which  confirmed  him  in 
the  propriety  of  the  change.  This  shows  that  Hall  was 
not  obstinate  in  his  own  opinions,  however  maturely 
formed.  On  this  better  knowledge  he  gave  up  the  route 
by  Jones  Sound,  as  he  had  previously  given  up  without 
hesitation  his  matured  plan  of  proceeding,  when  he  found 
that  Congress  would  give  him  but  one  vessel  and  only 
$50,000.  We  learn,  further,  from  his  letters  that  it  had 
been  his  intention,  if  he  failed  in  getting  the  congressional 
appropriation,  to  ask  that,  with  a  small  party  properly 
equipped  and  provisioned,  he  should  be  landed  by  a  naval 
vessel  in  Hartstene  Bay,  and  left  to  take  care  of  himself. 
He  would  have  made  that  place  his  headquarters,  and 
have  concentrated  his  efforts  upon  explorations  toward  the 
North  Pole,  trusting,  with  the  religious  earnestness  and 

<_"  O 

faith  of  a  sincere  enthusiast,  that  he  would  finally  reach 
the  object  of  his  devotion. 


II. 


IIP'  100°          90*        80'      70"      60°      50*       W        -30 


•HflSOT^WX^ 


CHAPTER   II. 


It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  the  Polaris  sailed 

July 

from  New  London,  July  3,  1871.  While  in  that  port 
she  had  been  visited  by  a  great  many  persons,  and  on  the 
day  previous  to  sailing  (Sunday)  divine  service  was  held 
on  the  hurricane-deck  by  Dr.  Foster,  of  New  London, 
assisted  by  Elder  Allyn,  of  Groton.  Quite  a  number  of 
ladies  and  gentlemen  were  on  board  from  both  cities. 
Captain  Hall  made  a  few  remarks  at  the  close  of  the 
services,  introducing  the  officers  of  the  ship,  and  setting 
forth  the  objects  of  the  expedition.  This  meeting  was 
one  of  special  and  tender  interest,  because  several  of  the 
leading  officers  of  the  Polaris  were  from  the  vicinity. 
The  flag  presented  by  Mr.  Grinnell  to  Hall  at  his  recep 
tion  by  the  American  Geographical  Society  of  New  York, 
was  now  hoisted  at  the  fore.  This  flag  had  been  carried 
by  the  squadron  of  Admiral  Wilkes  in  his  expedition  to 
the  Antarctic  Ocean,  and  subsequently  by  De  Haven, 
Kane,  and  Hayes  to  the  Arctic  Ocean. 


48  St.  John's. 

1871.  On  her  voyage  to   Newfoundland,  the    Polaris  en 

countered  some  heavy  weather,  frequent  fogs,  and  a  pro 
tracted  storm,  with  thunder  and  lightning.  On  the  10th, 
after  the  fog  lifted,  she  found  herself  embayed,  and  was 
obliged  to  stand  southward  and  westward  to  recover  her 
sea-room.  On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  Cape  Race 
was  made,  and  at  12  m.,  July  12th,  the  Polaris  anchored  in 
the  harbor  of  St.  John's,  at  the  entrance  of  which  two 
large  icebergs  had  grounded.  On  the  13th,  Captain  Hall 
and  his  entire  staff  were  received  by  the  governor  of  the 
island,  his  secretary,  and  prominent  members  of  the  legis 
lature.  They  lunched  at  the  governor's  mansion,  and 
enjoyed  every  courtesy  and  attention  from  the  authorities 
of  the  province. 

The  governor  and  his  suiie  were,  in  turn,  received 
and  entertained  by  Captain  Hall,  who  conducted  them 
over  the  vessel.  During  her  stay  in  the  harbor  the  ship 
was  coaled  and  took  on  board  caplins  and  six  Newfound 
land  dogs,  three  of  which  were  .puppies. 

The  Polaris  left  St.  John's  at  3.30  p.  in.  of  the  19th 
for  Greenland,  United  States  Consul  Mulloy  accompany 
ing  the  vessel  out  of  the  harbor  and  returning  with  the 
pilot.  On  the  same  evening  a  remarkable  instance  of 
mirage  is  recorded;  also  an  aurora  borealis  the  rays  of 
which  formed  an  arch. 

On  the  26th,  an  aurora  appeared  in  the  morning, 


LIBK 

r/NI  v  L'RSITT  O 

• 


Fiskernaes.  49 

forming;    at    times    a   semicircle,    and    afterward    rising     1871. 

O  c^ 

toward  the  zenith.  On  the  27th,  the  coast  of  Greenland 
was  seen,  and  shortly  afterward  its  high  peaks,  covered 
with  snow.  Toward  evening  the  new  explorers  had  their 
first  sight  of  the  natives  in  their  kyaks. 

These  boats,  so  frail  and  so  dangerous  in  appearance, 
are  perfectly  safe  in  the  hands  of  the  natives,  and  are 
managed  with  extraordinary  dexterity  by  them. 

On  the  27th  of  July,  Captain  Hall  dropped  anchor 
in  the  harbor  of  Fiskernaes,  where  he  hoped  to  find  Hans 
Hendrick,*  the  Esquimaux,  who  had  accompanied  Dr. 
Kane  in  1853-55,  and  to  persuade  him  to  accompany  the 
expedition  as  hunter  and  dog-driver.  Before  reaching 
the  settlement,  the  governor,  Mr.  Schoenheidter,  came  on 
board  the  Polaris.  Captain  Hall  returned  his  visit.  Dr. 
Bessels  also  went  on  shore  to  gather  botanical  and  <reo- 

o  o 

logical  specimens.  Such  of  the  crew  as  could  be  spared 
obtained  permission  to  go  ashore,  where  they  enjoyed 
themselves  in  dancing  with  the  young  girls  of  the  settle 
ment.  The  next  day  the  ship  was  visited  by  the  greater 
part  of  the  population,  especially  by  the  women.  They 
attracted  much  attention  by  the  peculiarity  of  their  dress, 
wearing  boots  of  well-tanned  seal-skin  reaching  above  the 

o  o 

knee,  seal-skin  trousers  tastefully  ornamented  with  needle 
work,  and  jackets  covered  with  bright  cloth,  and  neatly 

*  Called  Hans  Christian  by  Kane,  and  by  Hall  quoting1  Kane. 
4 


50  Lichtenfels. 

1871.  trimmed  around  the  neck,  wrists,  and  lower  edges  with 
fur  and  pretty  bead  ornaments.  Some  of  these  women 
were  thought  to  be  handsome ;  the  majority,  however, 
when  first  seen  by  the  white  man,  have  a  decidedly 
repulsive  appearance. 

In  the  afternoon,  Dr.  Bessels  and  Engineer  Schu 
mann,  accompanied  by  Nindemann  and  Mauch,  visited  the 
settlement  Lichtenfels  under  the  Moravian,  missionaries 
Stark  and  Kroft.  This  journey  was  made  in  an  open 
whale-boat  during  a  violent  rain-storm.  The  party  was 
greeted  with  great  cordiality  by  the  missionaries  and  their 
ladies.  They  learned  from  Mr.  Stark  the  particulars  of 
the  loss  of  the  German  exploring  vessel,  the  Hansa.  He 
was  stationed  at  Freiderickstadt  when  the  shipwrecked 
crew  landed  in  their  boats. 

The  Esquimaux  under  the  care  of  these  missionaries 
are  distributed  over  five  different  settlements,  and  number 
in  all  261  souls,  of  whom  more  than  half  live  in  Lich 
tenfels.  After  supper  the  party  took  leave  of  these 
excellent  people  with  the  kindest  remembrances.  On  the 
same  evening  preparations  were  made  for  sailing.  The 
Polaris  left  Fiskernaes  next  morning  at  4  o'clock,  encoun 
tering  rough  weather  outside. 

At  10  a,  m.  of  the  31st  of  July,  she  anchored  in 
Holsteinborg,  a  Danish  settlement  containing  about  six 
teen  huts  and  fifty  people. 


'•.' 


t. 


Swedish  Scientific  Expedition.  51 

Hall  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find  here  the  Swed-     1871. 

July. 

ish  Scientific  Expedition,  composed  of  a  brig  and  a 
small  steamer,  under  the  command  of  Baron  Von  Otter, 
which  had  been  to  Disco  and  Upernavik,  and  was  now  on 
its  way  home.  The  Baron  had  been  successful  in  reach 
ing  latitude  75°,  in  having  obtained  several  very  large 
masses  of  meteoric  iron,  and  in  having  made  a  number  of 
deep-sea  soundings  and  observations  for  temperature;  all 
of  which  could  not  fail  to  contribute  largely  to  a  better 
knowledge  of  the  hydrography  of  those  waters. 

Hall  was  told  at  Holsteinborg  that  Hans,  the  dog- 
driver  of  Kane's  and  of  Hayes'  expeditions,  was  at  Uper 
navik,  and  that  he  would  await  in  that  place  his  arrival — 
a  piece  of  information  confirmed  by  the  Swedish  expedi 
tion.  The  expedition  brought  further  good  news  from 
Upernavik,  informing  Hall  that  the  season  for  Arctic  nav 
igation  was  a  remarkably  favorable  one;  that  only  occa 
sional  bergs  had  been  seen  between  Holsteinborg  and 
Disco ;  and  that  for  several  weeks  none  had  been  seen 
between  Disco  and  Upernavik. 

On  the  day  of  the  arrival  of  the  Polaris,  Nindemann, 
one  of  her  seamen,  came  very  near  losing  his  life  in  an 
attempt  to  manage  one  of  the  native  kyaks.  He  lost 
his  equilibrium,  and  would  have  been  drowned  but  for 
the  timely  assistance  of  a  boat  from  the  Swedish  frigate. 
The  Polaris  had  no  boat  alongside  in  the  water. 


52  Holsteinborg. 

1871.  After  performing  this  humane  service,  the  frigate, 

July. 

with  her  consort,  resumed  her  voyage,  and  as  they  ex-, 
pected  to  stop  at  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  Captain 
Hall  improved  the  opportunity  of  forwarding  by  them 
dispatches  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

In  Governor  Elberg  Captain  Hall  found  an  old  friend. 
In  1860,  while  on  his  first  expedition  in  search  of  Sir 
John  Franklin,  he  had  spent  seventeen  days  in  Hol- 
steinborg,  to  a  description  of  which  visit  he  devotes  the 
second  chapter  of  his  work  entitled  "Arctic  Researches." 

By  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  if  the 
transport  which  was  to  carry  stores  and  provisions  for 
the  Polaris  to  one  of  the  Greenland  ports  did  not  over 
take  the  ship  before  reaching  Holsteinborg,  Hall  was  to 
wait  there  as  long  as  he  thought  proper,  and  then  proceed 
to  Godhavn.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Holsteinborg,  in 
former  years,  many  deer  were  killed;  he  anticipated,  there 
fore,  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  sufficient  number  of 
deer-skins  to  furnish  the  whole  company  with  warm 
winter  clothing.  Much  to  his  regret,  he  learned  that  no 

o  o         ' 

deer  had  been  seen  for  a  number  of  years.  The  governor 
endeavored  to  supply  this  deficiency,  but  was  able  to  pro 
vide  only  a  few  seal-skins  and  some  dog-skin  clothing. 

While  in  the  harbor,  Dr.  Bessels  commenced  his  series 
of  photographic  views;  his  operations  were  watched  with 
interest  by  the  natives.  Two  of  the  crew  of  the  Polaris, 


Godhavn.  53 

Mauch  and  Hayes,  attempted  the  ascent  of  a  peak  the     1871. 

August. 

summit  of  which  was  covered  with  snow.  After  a  severe 
struggle  they  were  obliged  to  abandon  the  enterprise  on 
account  of  the  rugged  character  of  the  cliffs.  They  did 
not  reach  the  ship  until  midnight. 

In  expectation  of  the  arrival  of  the  United  States 
ship  Congress  which  was  to  renew  his  supplies  and  fur 
nish  him  with  the  latest  instructions,  Hall  remained  in 
Holsteinborg  until  2  p.  m.  of  August  the  3d.  On  leaving 
the  harbor,  several  American  schooners  were  seen  at 
anchor  about  eighteen  miles  from  land,  engaged  in  fishing 
upon  a  well-known  bank  on  which  halibut  and  cod  abound. 

Steaming  up  the  coast  and  keeping  about  twelve 
miles  from  the  land,  the  Polaris  passed  numerous  icebergs, 
which  for  size,  beauty,  and,  in  some  cases,  grotesqueness 
of  form,  were  quite  remarkable.  Twenty-four  hours  after 
leaving  Holsteinborg  a  native  pilot  was  taken  on  board, 
and  the  vessel  was  conducted  safely  through  the  narrow, 
winding  channel  into  the  harbor  of  Godhavn.  The  anchor 
being  let  go  while  the  vessel  was  still  under  considerable 
headway,  the  cable  parted.  After  mooring,  the  lost  anchor 
was  recovered. 

Chief-Inspector  Krarap  Smith,  the  superior  officer  in 
North  Greenland,  proved  to  be  on  his  annual  tour  to  the 
principal  settlements  of  the  district,  but  Hall  was  received 
most  cordially  by  the  inspector's  lieutenant,  Governor  Los- 


54  Divine  Service. 

1871.     sen,  who  spoie  Danish  only.     A  competent  interpreter 

August. 

and  an  ardent  advocate  and  friend  was  found  in  Mrs. 
Smith,  the  wife  of  the  chief  inspector. 

On  Saturday,  the  5th,  the  " crow's  nest"  was  secured 
in  its  place. 

On  the  6th,  Captain  Hall  went  to  church,  accompa 
nied  hy  several  of  his  people.  He  was  struck  with  the 
neatness  of  the  chapel,  and  equally  so  with  the  decorum 
of  the  congregation.  The  seats  were  common  henches. 
About  thirty  persons  were  present,  of  whom  the  majority 
were  women,  while  boys  comprised  the  greater  part  of 
the  male  portion  of  the  congregation.  In  the  absence  of 
the  regular  clergyman  the  catechist  conducts  the  worship. 

His  regular  duties  are  those  of  town  clerk  or  recorder,  and 

<—>  .  ' 

of  village  schoolmaster.  The  services  were  very  simple. 
Three  hymns  were  sung,  or  rather  chanted,  in  a  low  tone 
of  voice,  the  slowness  of  utterance  increasing  the  monot 
ony.  A  passage  of  Scripture  was  read,  prayers  were 
offered,  and  a  sermon  preached. 

The  same  day  Mr.  Chester  was  dispatched  for  Chief- 
Inspector  Smith,  whom  he  found  at  Rittenbeck.  This  in 
volved  a  boat-journey  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
miles.  Captain  Hall  praises  Mr.  Chester  for  the  alacrity 
and  intelligence  with  which  he  executed  this  duty.  Mr. 
Smith  at  once  responded  to  the  request  of  Captain  Hall. 
Relinquishing  pressing  duties,  he  arrived  at  Godhavn  at  6 


• 


-L  I  B  JK  A  IV    ; 
UNIVERSITY   < 

'     CALIFORNIA 


The  Congress.  55 

a.  m.  of  the  llth.     Before  his  return,  the  United  States     1871. 

\  ll**llsl, 

ship  Congress,  under  the  command  of  Gapt.  H.  K.  Daven 
port,  U.  S.  N.,  anchored  in  the  harbor,  and  brought  with 
her  not  only  the  needful  stores  and  supplies,  but  relief 
from  the  load  of  anxiety  which  was  weighing  on  Hall's 

mind. 

August  7th,  the  ship  was  thoroughly  cleaned,  and  in 

the  course  of  the  next  two  days  was  painted.  Hall  en 
tertained  at  dinner  Mrs.  Inspector  Krarup  Smith  and  Gov 
ernor  Lossen  and  his  wife. 

At  11  a.  m.  of  the  llth,  Captain  Davenport,  accom 
panied  by  Captain  Hall,  went  in  full  uniform  to  pay  an 
official  visit  to  Mr.  Smith.  As  he  landed  he  was  received 
by  a  salute  from  a  battery  of  six  6-pounders,  and  was  es 
corted  by  Governor  Lossen  to  the  house  of  the  Inspector, 
where  he  was  received  "with  every  mark  of  official  and 
personal  respect  and  consideration."  The  salute  was  re 
turned  by  the  Congress  with  an  equal  number  of  guns,  the 
Danish  flag  being  hoisted  at  the  foremast-head. 

Captain  Davenport  presented  to  Mr.  Smith  letters 
from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  received  the  assur 
ance  that  the  Danish  authorities  would  take  great  plea 
sure  in  extending  to  Hall  all  the  assistance  in  their  power; 
Inspector  Smith  at  once  making  known  his  own  cor 
dial  desire  to  extend  to  the  North  Polar  Expedition  all  the 
aid  and  co-operation  asked  for  in  the  letters  of  the  Secre- 


56  Official  Courtesies. 

1871.     tary.     He  consented  to  receive  in  the  government  store- 
August. 

house  the   stores  and  provisions  intended  for  the  use  of 

the  Expedition,  promising  that  they  should  he  carefully 
preserved,  at  the  same  time  declining  any  remunera 
tion  for  this  and  all  other  kindnesses.  At  this  place 
Hall  also  endeavored  to  obtain  the  services  of  Hans  and 
those  of  a  Dane  by  the  name  of  Jensen,  at  that  time  gov 
ernor  of  Tessi-Ussak,  formerly  of  Dr.  Hayes's  expedition, 
both  of  whom  belonged  to  the  government  service,  in 
which  they  were  very  useful.  Inspector  Smith  showed 
his  usual  generosity  in  the  offer  of  his  influence  to  secure 
them  for  Hall. 

On  the  13th,  Mr.  Smith  visited  the  Polaris  and  the 
Congress,  and  was  received  with  a  salute  of  fifteen  guns 

O  '  o 

from  the  latter  vessel.  Divine  service  was  conducted  on 
board  the  Congress  by  the  Ilev.  Dr.  Newman,  at  which 
were  present  the  crews  of  both  vessels  and  most  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Godhavn. 

During  the  next  few  days,  coal  and  supplies  of  vari 
ous  kinds  were  transferred  from  the  Congress  to  the 

.         o 

Polaris  until  she  was  filled  above  and  below  decks  to  her 
utmost  capacity.  The  remainder  were  stored  in  the 
public  building  furnished  by  the  Danish  inspector. 

At  2  p.  m.,  of  the  17th,  the  anchor  was  weighed 
and  the  Polaris  stood  out  of  the  harbor.  In  passing,  the 
Congress  manned  her  yards  and  rigging  and  gave  the 


Parting  Scenes.  57 

Polaris  hearty  cheers,  which  were  returned  with  equal  1871. 
spirit  and  good  will.  Before  weighing  anchor,  the  crew 
of  the  Polaris  had  been  mustered  on  deck  to  receive  from 
Captain  Davenport  some  judicious  instruction  and  counsel 
concerning  their  future  conduct.  He  pointed  out  to  them 
that  implicit  obedience  and  perfect  harmony  were  the 
necessary  conditions  of  success.  This  advice,  considering 
the  heterogeneous  character  of  the  ship's  company,  was 
well-timed.  Rev.  Dr.  Newman  of  Washington,  a  pas 
senger  in  the  Congress,  also  addressed  them  and  com 
mended  them  and  their  expedition  to  the  favor  of  Heaven. 

The  separation  of  the  Polaris  from  the  Congress  was 
attended  by  the  expression  of  some  private  griefs  caused 
by  the  parting  of  relatives.  Rev.  E.  D.  Bryan,  of  Car- 
bondale,  Pennsylvania,  who  had  also  come  out  as  pas 
senger  in  the  Congress,  was  parting  with  his  eldest  son, 
R.  W.  D.  Bryan,  the  astronomer  of  the  expedition,  and 
Captain  James  Budington,  of  Groton,  Connecticut,  ice- 
pilot  of  the  Congress,  and  previously  well  known  as  the 
discoverer  of  the  British  ship  Resolute  in  1855,  was  tak 
ing  leave  of  his  nephew,  Captain  Budington  of  the 
Polaris. 

Hall's  dispatch  of  this  day,  the  day  of  his  sailing 
from  Godhavn,  contained  an  earnest  expression  of  his 
gratitude  for  the  perfect  manner  in  which  the  expedition 
had  been,  in  all  respects,  equipped,  and  in  a  subsequent 


58  Upernavik. 

1871.     letter  of  the  22d  instant  he  makes  use  of  this  expression: 

August. 

"Never  was  an  Arctic  expedition  more  completely  fitted 
out." 

Following  the  shore-line  at  an  average  distance  of 
ten  miles,  he  passed  an  innumerable  succession  of  ice 
bergs.  Several  hump-back  whales  appeared  close  to  the 
vessel.  Shortly  after  meridian  of  the  next  day,  Swarte 
Hook  was  on  the  starboard  beam,  distant  about  eight 
miles.  At  10  p.  m.,  while  passing  the  island  of  Kasor- 
soak,  the  sea  was  seen  breaking  on  two  dangerous  reefs 
about  four  miles  from  the  vessel.  Steaming  slowly 
among  the  many  small  islands,  a  careful  lookout  was  kept 
for  reefs  and  sunken  rocks. 

At  1  a,,  m.  of  the  19th,  having  neared  the  settlement 
of  Upernavik,  a  native  pilot  was  taken  on  board,  and  in 
half  an  hour  the  vessel  was  safely  anchored  in  the  harbor. 
Hall  had  accomplished  the  voyage  between  Godhavn  and 
Upernavik,  a  distance  of  225  miles,  in  33£  hours.  Owing 
to  the  distance  from  the  village  and  the  unseasonableness 
of  the  hour  of  the  ship's  arrival,  it  was  some  time  before 
the  inhabitants  could  be  awakened.  It  was  not,  however, 
very  dark;  at  midnight  the  sun  was  only  four  degrees 
below  the  horizon;  and,  as  now  it  was  but  an  hour  and  a 
half  to  sunrise,  the  eastern  sky  was  bright  with  the  com 
ing  day. 

He  was  received  in  the  most  cordial  manner  by  Gov- 


Upernavik.  59 

errior  Rudolph,  who  readily  complied  with  all  his  requests.     1871. 

A.U  crust* 

One  kyak  was  dispatched  with  letters  to  Hans  Hendrick, 

at  Proven,  about  fifty  miles  distant  to  the  southward  where 
he  actually  proved  -to  be;  and  another  to  Jansen,  of  Tessi- 
Ussak,  the  same  distance  to  the  northward,  requesting 
them  both  to  prepare  to  leave  home  at  the  shortest  notice. 
Mr.  Chester  also  left  in  a  boat  for  Proven,  to  bring 

7  o 

Hans  and  his  family.  He  reached  that  place  before  mid 
night,  and  leaving  at  8  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 

O         '  ~  ~ 

20th,  returned  with  them  to  Upernavik  on  the  evening  of 
the  same  day.  His  boat  presented  a  singular  appearance, 
being  loaded  from  stem  to  stern  with  bags,  boxes,  and 
skins,  on  the  top  of.  which  were  children,  dressed  in 
ragged  and  filthy  skin  clothing.  When  the  family  came 
on  board  the  Polaris  with  their  luggage,  consisting  of 
tents,  cooking-utensils,  tools,  implements  of  the  chase, 
and  three  or  four  puppies  whose  eyes  could  scarcely  bear 
the  light,  an  opportunity  was  given  of  witnessing  the  do 
mestic  habits  of  this  people. 

In  the  exceedingly  crowded  condition  of  the  vessel, 
it  was  difficult  to  find  a  place  to  stow  this  family,  with 
their  goods  and  chattels. 

With  the  full  consent  and  co-operation  of  the  Danish 
authorities  in  Greenland,  Hall  secured  the  services  of 
Hans  as  dog-driver  and  servant,  with  the  agreement  that 
his  wife  and  three  children  were  to  keep  him  company. 


60  Upernavik. 

1871.     By  this  contract  Hans  received  a  salary  of  about  $300  per 

August. 

annum,  or,  more  exactly,  fifty  Danish  dollars  per  month. 

William  Morton,  the  second  mate  of  the  Polaris, 
who  had  been  associated  with  Hans  under  Kane,  in 
making  his  memorable  sledge  journey  to  Cape  Constitu 
tion,  came  forward  and  spoke  to  him;  but  the  latter  did 
not  recognize  him.  On  Morton's  pointing,  however,  to 
some  scars  on  Hans's  right  hand,  the  remains  of  injuries 
sustained  by  a  powder  explosion  on  the  shore  of  Kennedy 
Channel,  Hans  at  once  recalled  the  circumstance,  and 
recognized  Morton  as  the  only  spectator  of  that  catastro 
phe,  apologizing  in  his  rude  way,  for  not  knowing  him, 
by  pointing  to  the  change  in  his  hair  and  beard,  due  to 
the  lapse  of  nearly  twenty  years  since  they  were  together. 

In  the  harbor  of  Upernavik  the  Polaris  met  the 
Danish  brig  Julianhope,  which  comes  annually  from 
Denmark  to  bring  supplies  to  the  Greenland  settlements, 
and  to  receive  the  skins,  oil,  and  dried  fish  which  have 
been  obtained  by  trade  with  the  Esquimaux. 

There  are  two  anchorages  off  Upernavik  one  of 
which  is  directly  in  front  of  the  settlement;  the  other,  in 
its  rear  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  over  the  rocky  ridge ; 
the  latter  is  really  the  harbor,  the  former  affording  no  pro 
tection  from  either  the  southerly  or  the  westerly  winds. 
Both  the  Polaris  and  the  Julianhope  were  in  this  small, 
land-locked  harbor.  The  vessel  was  visited  by  Dr.  Ru- 


Upernavik,  (31 

dolpli  and  Governor  Elberg,  who,  upon  receiving  the  let-     1ST  I. 
ter  from  Mr.  Krarap  Smith,  delivered  by  Hall,  expressed 
a  readiness  to  render  the  expedition  all  possible  aid. 

The  Upernavik  settlement  consists  of  some  twenty- 
two  houses  inhabited  by  sixty  Esquimaux.  They  ap 
peared  even  less  cleanly  than  those  in  the  more  southern 
settlements.  Just  back  of  the  settlement,  on  the  slope  of 
the  ridge,  is  the  graveyard,  distinguished  by  crosses, 
head-boards,  and  little  inclosures  marking  the  craves. 

O  o 

The  absence  of  vegetation,  the  want  of  method  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  graves,  and  the  dismal  aspect  of  the 
fragments  of  unsightly  rock  covering  the  surface,  added 
greatly  to  the  sadness  and  dreariness  of  that  northern 
cemetery.  The  hardness  of  the  ground  making  it  neces 
sary  to  place  the  coffins  on  its  surface  and  cover  them 
with  stones,  the  remains,  in  the  course  of  time,  often  be 
come  exposed. 

Dr.  E.  N.  Rudolph,  quite  an  old  man,  had  passed  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  in  Greenland ;  but  now  intended  to 
return  to  Denmark  in  the  Julianhope,  to  spend  the  re 
mainder  of  his  days.  It  may  be  mentioned  here  that  he 
actually  did  return  in  the  autumn;  but,  foiling  to  find  in 
civilized  life  the  contentment  he  looked  for,  he  came  back 
to  Greenland  the  next  year. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  2.1st,  the  Danish  brig 
Julianhope,  loaded  with  the  blubber  and  skins  accumu- 


62  UpernaviL 

1871.  lated  at  Upernavik  during  the  preceding  year,  was  got 
ready  to  sail  to  the  mother  country.  Governor  Rudolph, 
the  evening  before,  gave  a  farewell  banquet  to  his  associ 
ates,  to  which  he  invited  the  officers  of  both  vessels.  The 
Polaris  made"  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  tow  the  Julian- 
hope  to  sea.  During  the  day  five  tons  of  coal  were 
taken  on  board,  besides  ninety  seal-skins  and  one  hundred 
dog-skins.  Twelve  dogs  were  added  to  the  pack,  increas 
ing  the  certainty  of  the  night's  being  made  hideous  by  in 
terminable  bowlings. 

Mr.  11.  W.  D.  Bryan,  having  been  now  appointed 
chaplain  by  Captain  Hall,  was  required  to  conduct  divine 
service  on  Sundays  in  place  of  Captain  Hall,  who  had, 
himself,  thus  far  officiated. 

The  Seamen's  Friend  Society  of  New  York  City,  in 
addition  to  the  gift  of  a  ship's  library  which  they  usually 
make  to  all  vessels  bound  on  long  cruises,  had  presented 
to  Captain  Hall  copies  of  "The  Sailor's  Companion,"  for 
use  on  the  Polaris.  This  work,  prepared  by  Dr.  Jas. 
Alexander  of  Princeton,  contains  a  manual  of  worship, 
forms  for  special  occasions,  and  sermons  from  the  pens  of 
eminent  divines.  The  society  also  presented  copies  of 
sermons  by  Rev.  Dr.  W.  S.  Plumer,  D.  D.,  of  South  Caro 
lina.  The  American  Tract  Society  gave  a  number  of 
hymn-books,  called  "Songs  of  Zion."  The  Bible  Society 
had  made  a  donation  of  a  number  of  bibles. 


Upernavik.  63 

The  members  of  the  scientific  corps  were  by  no  1871. 
means  idle  during  the  short  stay  in  Upernavik.  Many 
observations  for  position  were  made,  and  the  magnetic 
elements  of  the  place  were  determined.  Collections  were 
made  illustrating  the  fauna  and  flora  of  the  adjacent 
region,  and  its  geology  received  careful  study.  The 
photographic  apparatus  was  called  into  requisition,  and 
many  portraitures  of  Esquimaux  life  and  characteristics 
were  prepared. 

As  a  part  of  the  preparations  for  sea,  the  sufferings 
of  the  pig  bought  in  St.  John's  were  brought  to  an  end, 
and  his  body  was  hung  in  the  rigging  in  company  with 
the  remains  of  a  quarter  of  beef. 

Governor  El  berg  kindly  consented  to  accompany  the 
expedition  as  far  as  Tessi-Ussak,  in  order  to  receive  from 
Jensen  his  office  and  its  trusts,  should  he  conclude  to  join 
the  expedition,  as  he  had  intimated  he  would  in  a  letter 
brought  back  by  the  messenger  sent  with  Hall's  proposal.  ' 

When  Captain  Hall  had  made  up  his  dispatches  for 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  placed  them  in  the  hands 
of  Governor  Iludolph,  the  anchor  was  weighed  at 
10.30  p.  m.,  and  the  Polaris  left  Upernavik.  Steaming 
twelve  miles  to  the  northward  and  westward,  a  little 
before  midnight  the  small  island  settlement  of  King-itoke 
was  reached.  Captain  Hall  and  Governor  Elberg  landed 
with  a  boat's  crew  to  negotiate  for  dogs  and  furs;  and 


64  Tessi-  Ussak. 

1871.     while  they  were  absent,  the  vessel  lay  to,  only  using  her 

August.  .  ..... 

engine  occasionally  to  avoid  the  ice  drifting  about  in  small 
fields  and  detached  pieces.  The  governor  of  the  little 
settlement  had  a  large  number  of  very  fine  dogs,  but  no 
offer  made  by  Captain  Hall  could  induce  him  to  part  with 
any  of  them.  With  considerable  difficulty,  and  mainly 
through  the  efforts  of  Governor  Elberg,  eleven  dogs  were 
obtained  from  some  of  the  inhabitants;  a  few  seal-skins 
and  dog-skins  were  also  purchased.  At  1  a.  m.  of  the 
22d,  they  returned  to  the  vessel  and  started  at  once 
toward  Tessi-Ussak.  Good  native  pilots  pointed  out  the 
many  reefs,  the  sunken  rocks,  and  the  clear  channels 
among  the  numerous  islands  that  line  the  coast  in  that 
neighborhood.  Many  icebergs  were  met ;  and  a  consider 
able  quantity  of  broken  ice,  confined  by  the  configuration 
of  the  continental  and  insular  coast-lines,  added  greatly 
to  the  dangers  of  navigation. 

At  6  a.  m.  the  anchor  was  dropped  near  the  settle 
ment  of  Tessi-Ussak.  Here  Hall  was  doomed  to  another 
disappointment.  He  found  that  Jensen  was  unwilling  to 
leave  home,  pleading  as  his  excuse  the  circumstances  of 
his  family,  and  especially  those  of  his  wife.  He  offered 
at  the  same  time  to  assist  in  furnishing  dogs,  furs,  &c..  to 
the  expedition. 

Here,  as  in  Upernavik,  every  effort  was  made  to 
obtain  natural  specimens  of  all  kinds ;  and  the  opportu- 


Tessi-  Ussak.  65 

nities  of  studying  the  geological  formation  and  evidences     1871. 

August. 

of  present  and  former  ice-action,  were  diligently  improved. 
On  the  23d,  a  heavy  fog-bank  outside  added  new 
dangers  to  a  navigation  very  hazardous  in  the  best 
weather  and  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances.  In 
the  little  harbor  it  was  a  delightful  day.  The  crew  en 
joyed  their  brief  period  of  leisure  in  rambles  over  the 
rocky  shore,  making  the  most  of  the  calm  air,  the  genial 
warmth,  and  the  gladsome  sunshine.  The  tanks  were 
filled  with  fresh  water,  and  there  were  no  deficiencies  in 
the  supplies  of  vessel  and  crew  which  were  not  made 
good  while  waiting  for  the  lifting1  of  the  fog. 

~  O  o  & 

Hall  was  now  entirely  ready  to  take  leave  of  the 
civilized  world,  and  to  enter  upon  his  field  of  Arctic  ex 
ploration.  He  was  as  well  prepared  in  mind  as  in  means 
to  encounter  the  difficulties  and  dangers  belonging  to  his 

o  C>       O 

future  labors.  He  was  entirely  satisfied  with  his  vessel, 
with  her  equipment  and  outfit,  and  with  the  promise  im 
mediately  before  him. 

"The  prospects  of  the  expedition,"  he  writes,  "are 
fine ;  the  weather  clear  and  exceptionally  warm  ;  every 
preparation  has  been  made  to  bid  farewell  to  civilization 
for  several  years,  if  need  be,  to  accomplish  my  purpose." 
His  coal-bunkers  were  full ;  he  had  wood  and  resin  in 
considerable  quantities  that  could  be  used  for  steaming  in 
any  emergency. 


66  Tessi-  Ussak. 

1871.  He  declares  that  there  was  nothing  to  regret,  but,  on 

the  contrary,  there  was  reason  to  rejoice  that  everything 
pertaining  to  the  expedition  was  in  a  more  prosperous 
and  successful  condition  than  he  ever  had  hoped  or  prayed 
for.  And  this  declaration  is  accompanied  hy  an  expres 
sion  of  trustful,  religious  dependence,  which  increased  his 
sense  of  gratitude  and  his  hopes  of  success. 

The  fog  still  continued  on  the  24th  as  thick  as  ever ; 
but  Captain  Hall  decided  that  it  would  delay  the  expedi 
tion  too  much  to  wait  longer  for  its  dispersion.  Ac 
cordingly,  at  1.30  p.  m.  the  anchor  was  weighed  and  the 
vessel  steamed  out  of  the  harbor,  having  on  board  Gov 
ernors  Elberg  and  Jensen.  It  was  chiefly  by  the  skill  of 
Jensen  that  she  was  steered  through  the  intricate  naviga 
tion.  At  3  p.  m.  the  governors  took  leave  in  their  boat,- 
carrying  with  them  the  native  pilot  and  Hall's  last  dis 
patches. 


Ill 


CHAPTER   III. 


On  leaving  Tessi-Ussak  Captain  Hall  gave  directions     1871, 

August. 

to  the  sailing-master  to  stand  due  north  tWenty-five  miles, 
and,  after  passing  between  two  large  islands,  to  keep  the 
ship  on  her  course. 

The  complement  of  the  Polaris  had  been  filled  at 
the  last  recruiting  station.  Her  full  number  was  now 
thirty-three,  of  which  eight  were  officers  and  three,  mem 
bers  of  the  scientific  corps.  The  steward,  the  cook,  two 
firemen,  ten  seamen,  and  eight  Esquimaux  filled  up  the 
roll. 

Notwithstanding  the  positiveness  of  Jensen  that  at 
the  termination  of  the  twenty-five  miles  upon  a  due  north 
course  the  two  islands  would  certainly  be  seen,  they  were 
invisible,  although  the  pilot's  instructions  had  been  care 
fully  observed.  The  fog  still  hung  closely  about  the 
vessel,  and  apprehensions  were  felt  that  trouble  might 
ensue  from  the  islands  not  being  seen.  Double  lookouts 
were  stationed,  and.  under  the  most  careful  watch,  five 


70  Melville  Bay. 

1871.     miles  were  added  to  the  twenty-five;   after  which,  the 

August. 

islands  not  having  been  seen,  the  coast  dangers  were  con 
sidered  as  passed,  and  the.  vessel's  head  was  hauled  up 
northeast.  To  make  this  clearer  to  the  unprofessional 
reader,  he  is  reminded  that  the  directions  here  -named 
are  compass  courses,  and  that  in  this  vicinity  the  west 
erly  variation  of  the  compass  is  about  seven  points  and 
a  half. 

The  fog  continued  through  the  night,  and  many  ice 
bergs  were  met';  but,  as  the  sea  was  smooth  and  the  wind 
liirht,  the  vessel  was  under  orood  control  and  no  trouble 

O  ^ 

was  experienced  in  keeping  clear  of  them.  In  the  small 
hours  of  the  morning  it  was  so  damp  and  chilly  that  the 
decks  were  deserted  except  by  the  officer  of  the  deck  and 
the  watch.  Although  the  thermometer  did  not  register 
lower  than  35°  5',  the  ship's  rigging  was  covered  with 
icicles,  which  increased,  until,  loosened  by  their  own 
weight  or  by  the  jar  of  the  rigging,  they  fell  to  the 
deck. 

About  noon  of  the  25th  the  fog  lifted,  and  the  breeze 
freshening,  all  sail  was  set.  At  6  p.  m.  land  was  sighted, 
which,  from  its  bearing  and  apparent  distance,  was  pro 
nounced  to  be  near  Cape  York.  An  hour  after,  pack-ice 
was  for  the  first  time  encountered.  The  sails  were  furled, 
and  for  three  hours  and  a  half  the  vessel  steamed  slowly 
through.  The  pack  was,  however,  comparatively  loose 


L I  B  K  A  L\  . 

UNIVERSITY  <>l 
CALIFORNIA. 


Cape   York.  71 

and  open,  though  composed  of  large  pieces,  and  the  ves-     1871. 

A 11 K  list. 

sel  made  her  way  with  little  difficulty. 

Coming  again  into  open  water,  the  sails  were  set  and 
a  direct  course  was  ran  for  the  Cape.  The  weather  con 
tinued  clear  and  pleasant,  hut  the  sea  was  quite  rough. 
As  the  light  became  more  imperfect  and  objects  more  in 
distinct,  additional  care  was 'exercised  to  avoid  the  numer 
ous  icebergs.  This  proved  to  be  an  act  of  prudence,  since 
the  vessel  narrowly  escaped  running  with  fair  speed  into 
one  of  the  large  bergs. 

At  5  a.  m.  of  the  26th,  close  pack-ice  was  again  en 
countered,  extending  westward.  Unable  to  force  a  pas 
sage  through,  the  vessel  ran  to  the  westward,  along  the 
southern  edge  of  the  pack,  for  three  hours,  when  the  ice 
was  found  more  loose,  and  after  a  little  buffeting  and 

7  O 

struggling  with  the  irregular  and  ofttimes  weighty  masses 
that  composed  the  pack,  she  once  more  resumed  her  course 
in  open  water. 

The  vessel  continued  for  the  next  hour  and  a  half 
on  a  course  about  N.  N.  W.  true,  at  the  rate  of  five  and 
one-half  knots  an  hour ;  at  the  expiration  of  that  time 
she  was  north  of  Cape  York,  which  bore  E.  S.  E.  ^  E. 
true. 

At  ten  minutes  past  two,  Cape  Dudley  Digges  was 
directly  east,  distant  about  eighteen  miles.  Awash  Island 
was  passed  at  5  p.  m.  At  7  p.  m.,  while  between  Wolsten- 


72  Wolstcnholme  Sound. 

1871.     holme  and  Saunders  Islands,  a  large   number  of  walruses 

August. 

were  seen  lying  on  the  ice.  Two  floe*pieces  two  or  three 
feet  thick,  and  each  covering  an  area  of  about  half  a  mile, 
were  black  with  the  large  ungainly  creatures.  They  were 
enjoying  their  sleep,  having,  as  is  their  habit,  some  of  their 
number  on  the  watch  to  give  the  alarm  in  case  of  ap 
proaching  danger.  The  vessel  moved  with  but  little  noise, 
and  the  lookouts  of  the  party  evidently  did  not  consider 
her  very  dangerous,  for  their  only  sign  of  apprehension  was 
a  more  frequent  raising  and  rolling  about  of  their  heads. 
The  rest  of  the  company  remained  undisturbed,  except 
that  one  here  and  there  turned  lazily  over,  or  otherwise 
changed  his  position.  All  was  excitement  on  board  the 
Polaris.  Many  had  never  before  seen  the  animals,  and 
were  curious  to  observe  their  appearance  and  actions. 
Even  those  who  had  often  captured  them  hurried  to  the 
side  to  get  a  nearer  view  of  the  sleepers.  They  were  so 
closely  huddled  together  that  it  was  difficult  to  distinguish 
them  individually.  Esquimaux  Joe,  animated  by  his  love 
of  sport,  with  his  rifle  ready  stood  in  the  bow.  It  was 
proposed  to  man  a  boat  and  attempt  the  capture  of  at  least 
one  of  the  walruses,  but  Captain  Hall  decided  that  this 
would  delay  the  vessel  too  much.  He  ordered  a  boat's 
crew,  however,  to  be  in  readiness  in  case  Joe  succeeded 
in  killing  one.  The  ship's  course  lay  directly  between  the 
two  floes,  and  as  she  approached  within  easy  range  of  the 


LIBS   : 

IVEBSITT 

1   ^ 
k.J_'i. 


Shooting   Walrus.  73 

smaller,  the  animals  became  restless,  and  those  near  the     1871. 

A  ii  if  list* 

edge  of  the  ice  began  to  roll  off  into  the  water.     Joe  fired 

n  ~ 

at  the  largest  of  those  nearest.  One  animal,  by  its  actions, 
plainly  showed  it  had  been  hit,  but  it  followed  the  example 
of  its  companions,  who  had  been  only  aroused  by  the  re 
port  of  the  rifle,  and,  working  its  way  with  them  to  the 
edge  of  the  ice,  tumbled  into  the  water.  In  an  instant 

o  ' 

all  had  disappeared.  Nothing  except  a  little  blood  upon 
the  ice,  remained  as  proof  of  Joe's  dexterity. 

The  vessel  stood  for  the  floe  on  the  starboard  bow, 
and  although  the  walruses  on  it  had  been  disturbed  by  the 
attack  upon  their  neighbors,  they  allowed  her  to  come 
within  rifle-shot  before  they  began  to  move.  Joe  fired 
again  with  the  same  success.  A  small  streak  of  blood 
left  upon  the  water,  as  the  wounded  animal  disappeared, 
was  again  the  only  witness  that  the  shot  had  taken  effect. 

The  walrus  has  always  been  considered  an  animal 
hard  to  kill  instantly,  even  with  the  rifle.  Its  skull  is 
thick ;  and  some  have  contended  that  it  cannot  be  pene 
trated  with  a  rifle-ball,  and  that  the  only  way  of  reaching 
the  brain  is  through  some  of  the  natural  openings.  Its 
body  is  so  large,  and  encased  in  such  a  thick  layer  of 
blubber  under  a  very  tough  skin,  that  to  shoot  it  through 
the  heart  is  seldom  attempted. 

A  great  deal  of  ice  was  found  off  the  northern  en 
trance  to  Wolstenholme  Sound.  The  passage  through  it 

1  O  O 


74  Stopped  by  the  Ice. 

1871.  was  effected  with  much  difficulty.  This  was  what  is 
known  as  "bay-ice"  of  one  winter's  growth,  not  compact, 
but  broken  up  into  fragments  of  every  shape  and  form. 
The  ship  easily  turned  aside  the  smaller  pieces  or  sank 
them,  and  split  the  larger  blocks  by  running  against  them 
with  full  speed.  Where  the  ice  was  loose,  this  was  at 
tended  with  little  or  no  delay,  but  where  it  was  closely 
packed,  the  Polaris  had  a  difficult  task  to  perform,  even 
when  the  thickness  did  not  exceed  a  foot.  At  10.30  p.  m., 
Eitz  Clarence  Rock  was  passed,  and  at  midnight  the  vessel 
was  opposite  Cape  Parry. 

Still  steaming  through  leads  in  the  ice,  at  5.20  a.  m. 
of  the  27th,  off  the  western  shore  of  Hakluyt  Island,  she 
was  compelled,  for  the  first  time,  to  stop,  on  account  of 
the  compactness  of  the  mass.  At  this  point  the  ice 
changed  its  character.  Hall  began  now  to  encounter  the 
solid  and  permanent  packs,  accumulated  in  bays  arid 
straits,  and  heavily  massed  around  outlying  islands.  Al 
though  occasionally  forced  to  stop,  to  back,  and  try  in 
other  places  where  the  ice  was  more  yielding,  the  vessel 
continued  to  advance.  The  lookout  in  the  crow's-nest 
reported  unfavorably  upon  the  ice  ahead ;  but  still  prog 
ress  was  made.  The  vessel,  trembling  under  the  rapid 
and  continuous  revolutions  of  her  engine,  butted  against 
the  icy  wall  with  success,  and  compelled  it  to  yield. 
With  skillful  management  and  a  judgment  matured  by 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY   OF  ! 

CALIFORNIA. 

..  X 


Smith's  Strait.  75 

• 

long  experience,  the  sailing-master  selected  the  weakest     1871. 

\  II " *  II  ^ I 

points  for  attack,  and  took  advantage  of  the  most  favora 
ble  openings.  The  Polaris  forced  her  way  through,  over 
coming  all  obstacles,  and  at  9.50  a.  m.  of  the  28th,  was 
again  in  open  water, 

A  breeze  from  the  north  was  now  felt,  which  partly 
accounted  for  the  compactness  of  the  ice  through  which 
she  had  recently  struggled. 

Meeting  with  no  other  ice  except  a  few  bergs,  the 
ship  made  rapid  progress.  At  3  p.  m.,  she  was  opposite 
Cape  Alexander;  at  5,  Littleton  Island  was  passed;  at  6.30, 
she  was  abreast  of  Cairn  Point;  and  at  8,  the  parallel  of 
Rensselaer  Harbor  was  crossed.  This  was  a  source  of 
great  gratification  to  Captain  Hall.  The  whole  crew  sym 
pathized  with  him  in  his  good  fortune,  and  were  eager  to 
press  on.  Smith's  Sound,  which  had  been  supposed  to  be 
continually  covered  by  a  heavy,  impassable  ice-pack,  was 
found  open.  The  ship  had  already  reached  a  latitude 
higher  than  that  attained  on  this  route  by  the  vessels  of 
any  former  expedition. 

Although  very  little  ice  was  found  lying  .in  the  direct 
course  for  Cape  Frazer,  long  lines  of  bergs  were  seen 
to  the  eastward.  Patch-ice  was  occasionally  met.  The 
short  detour  generally  made  to  avoid  it  was  rendered 
easy  by  the  existence  of  open  water  to  the  westward. 
The  vessel  was  forced  through  brash  or  posh  ice  or  a 


76  Smith's  So  and. 

• 

1871.     loose  stream,  without  material  change  in  her  course.     No 

August. 

unnecessary  trials  of  her  strength  were  made.  Where 
there  was  room  for  working,  all  bergs,  large  pieces  of  ice, 
and  compact  masses  were  carefully  avoided,  even  when 
in  order  to  do  this  it  was  necessary  to  make  considerable 
deviation  from  the  given  course. 

About  midnight  of  the  2 7th,  a  very  heavy  pack,  hav 
ing  no  opening  to  the  east  and  extending  north  as  far  as 
could  be  seen  from  the  crow's-nest,  made  it  necessary  to 
run  several  miles  westward.  In  about  two  hours  the 
Polaris  rounded  the  southwestern  point  of  the  pack,  and 
following  closely  its  western  edge  was  able  to  resume  her 
course. 

At  3.30  a.  m.  of  the  28th,  Cape  Hawks  was  on  the 
port  beam,  about  fifteen  miles  distant.  Here  heavy  ice 
was  again  met.  The  pack  to  the  eastward  consisted  of 
floes  very  thick  and  extensive.  Many  pieces  had  been 
made  by  the  aggregation  of  thin  ice  piled  up  by  repeated 
pressure.  These  are  called  hummocks  arid  hummocky 
ice,  although  the  same  terms  arc  applied  to  similar  masses 
formed  upon  the  surface  of  a  floe  near  its  edge,  as  well  as 
to  those  which  rise  in  the  center  of  recently -formed  bay- 
ice.  Occasionally  a  large  berg  added  its  bulk  and  weight, 
materially  increasing  the  momentum  of  the  pack.  Many 
of  these  bergs  were  the  remains  of  gigantic  ice-fields,  or 
the  result  of  a  strife  between  heavy  floes  in  which  one 


A   Glorious  Sunrise.  77 

was  overrun  by  the  other,  forming,  after  two  or  three  en-     1871. 

August. 

counters,  a  compact  mass  from  50  to  100  feet  in  thick 
ness.  Others  again  were  fragments,  or  small  specimens 
of  icebergs,  making  their  way  gradually  from  the  north 
to  the  banks  of  Newfoundland,  where  they  disappear. 

To  the  west  and  north  the  land  seemed  ice-bound, 
and  many  hummocks  and  fragments  of  floes  skirted  the 
edge  of  the  land-ice. 

As  the  vessel  headed  for  Point  Joy,  the  prospect  of 
a  passage  between  the  land-ice  and  the  pack  appeared 
by  no  means  favorable.  But  when  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  Point,  the  lookout  in  the  crow's-nest  discovered  that 
the  land-ice  between  Point  Joy  and  Cape  Frazer  was 
detached,  and  that  there  was  open  water  along  the 
shore,  dotted  with  floes  and  masses  of  every  size  and 
shape,  brought  down  by  the  current  eddying  around  Cape 
Frazer. 

During  the  first  morning  watch,  the  sun,  hitherto  hid 
den  by  the  mountains  of  Grinnell  Land,  suddenly  shone 
out,  causing  a  universal  exclamation  of  wronder  and  de 
light.  The  line  of  reflected  light  was  singularly  brilliant 
where  it  crossed  the  patches  of  water,  and  it  was  ren 
dered  iridescent  where  it  fell  on  the  edges  of  the  hum 
mocks,  on  the  fractured  ice,  or  on  the  pack  itself.  The 
irregular  surface  of  the  pack  comprising  the  general  level 
of  the  young  ice,  the  undulations  of  the  old  floes,  and  the 


78  Seeking  a  Harbor. 

-  1871.     sharp  prominences  of  the  bergs,  together  with  the  unencl- 

August. 

ing  diversity  of  form  in  the  hummocks,  kindled  the  imag 
ination  which  discovered  every  variety  of  form  and  of 
object,  animate  and  inanimate. 

The  contrast  between  the  snows  of  the  hills  and  the 
dark  hue  of  the  waters  in  shadow,  was  also  a  striking 
feature  of  the  view.  An  attempt  to  convey  any  distinct 
idea  of  the  scene  is  perhaps  useless  ;  it  was  impossible  to 
witness  a  blaze  of  splendor  so  great  and  varied  without 
being  affected  by  its  material  beauty  and  its  moral  im 
pressions.  The  sky  was  cloudless  and  the  atmosphere 
pleasant.  It  is  not  surprising  that  the  little  company  of 
explorers  derived  encouragement  from  these  bright  and 
cheering  influences. 

o 

When  within  five  miles  of  Point  Joy,  the  vessel 
rounded  the  northwestern  prolongation  of  the  pack  and 
ran  into  comparatively  open  water.  A  small  bay  was 
seen  which,  from  its  situation,  was  thought  to  be  suitable 
for  a  harbor.  The  ship  had  now  reached  a  higher  lati 
tude  than  Captain  Hall  had  expected  to  attain,  and, 
although  anxious  to  push  as  far  north  as  possible,  he  was 
still  disposed  to  leave  her  in  winter  quarters  at  this  point, 
confident  that  he  would  be  able,  under  favorable  condi 
tions  of  the  ice,  to  reach  the  Pole  in  sledges. 

Before  attempting,  therefore,  the  navigation  of  Ken 
nedy  Channel,  he  resolved  to  explore  this  bay,  in  order 


Kennedy  Channel.  79 

that  he  might,  if  it  should  prove  sufficiently  large  and     1871. 

August. 

safe,  occupy  it  as  his  winter  quarters,  provided  the  condi 
tion  of  the  ice  in  the  channel  should  prevent  further  prog 
ress.  A  boat  was  accordingly  lowered  and  manned,  and 
Captain  Hall,  accompanied  by  the  first  mate,  sounded  the 
entrance  to  the  bay.  He  ascertained  its  depth,  landed, 
and  made  a  short  but  thorough  examination  of  its  sur 
roundings.  The  water  proved  to  be  not  quite  deep 
enough  for  the  vessel,  although  in  other  respects  the  bay 
was  suited  to  make  a  comfortable  winter's  home. 

After  an  hour's  delay,  at  7.50,  the  Polaris  resumed 
her  course.  Steaming  another  hour  through  very  loose 
ice  she  passed  Cape  Frazer,  while  as  far  as  could  be  seen 
from  the  mast-head,  there  was  no  ice  to  the  north.  Run 
ning  along  the  land,  at  a  distance  of  five  miles,  she  made 
so  much  progress  that  at  12.30,  Cape  Norton  Shaw  was 
passed;  at  2.30,  Cape  McClintock ;  and  at  3.45,  Cape 
Lawrence.  The  positions  of  these  prominent  capes  ap 
peared  to  correspond  with  the  chart,  but  it  was  impossible 
to  make  out  the  exact  form  of  the  coast-lines. 

The  eastern  coast  of  the  channel  was  in  plain  sight. 
The  wridth  of  its  southern  entrance  is  about  thirty-five 
miles,  and  it  decreases  further  north  to  twenty-five  miles. 

The  day  did  not  continue  as  pleasant  as  the  early 
morning  promised;  clouds  obscured  the  sun,  and  there 
was  every  indication  of  a  long  spell  of  cold  and  wet 


80  The  First  Discovery. 

1871.     weather.     At  7  p.  m.,  a  copper  cylinder,  containing  a  rec- 

Angust. 

ord  of  the  progress  of  the  expedition,  and  securely  sealed, 
was  thrown  overboard.  At  11  p.  m.,  a  dense  fog  filled 
the  straits ;  no  laud  could  be  seen  on  either  side  of  the 
channel.  There  beinsr  no  ice  to  contend  with,  a  bright 

~  O 

lookout  was  kept  for  shoals  or  breakers  while  the  vessel 
pursued  her  course. 

A  little  after  midnight,  a  small  island  was  discovered, 
and  as  the  Polaris  passed  near  its  western  side  it  could  be 
plainly  seen,  notwithstanding  the  fog.  The  south  side  ap 
peared  to  be  perpendicular  and  fifty  or  sixty  feet  high ; 
from  this  it  sloped  gradually  to  the  north.  Owing  to  the 
fog  no  estimate  could  be  formed  of  the  extent  of  this 
island.  It  does  not  exist  on  the  chart  of  Dr.  Hayes.  A 
little  bird  flying  over  it  was  the  first  living  creature  that 
had  been  seen  since  entering  the  channel. 

At  2.15  a,  m.  of  the  29th,  a  delay  of  30  minutes  was 
occasioned  by  the  necessity  of  making  some  repairs  to 
the  engine.  At  3  a.  m.,  the  fog  lifted,  and  the  ship  was 
found  to  be  surrounded  with  numerous  patches  of  ice,  and 
several  small  icebergs.  The  land  on  both  sides  of  the 
channel  was  in  sight.  It  was  very  high,  the  west  side 
being  the  higher.  It  was  nearly  free  from  snow. 

At  9  a.  m.,  the  fog  settled  about  the  vessel,  and  as  the 
ice  began  to  be  heavier  and  more  compact,  it  was  deemed 
safer  to  fasten  to  a  lar^e  iloe,  and  wait  until  it  should 


Observations  for  Position.  81 

clear  up.     This  afforded  a  good  opportunity  to  take  a     1871. 

A.II  crust. 

sounding;  the  apparatus  was  prepared,  and  200  fathoms 
of  line  were  run  out  without  touching  bottom.  In  at- 

o 

tempting  to  haul  in  the  line  it  parted,  and  nearly  all  of  it 
was  lost. 

Ten  minutes  before  noon  the  fog  cleared.  This  fur 
nished  the  opportunity  for  taking  the  meridian  altitude. 
Every  sextant  and  quadrant  was  called  into  requisition. 

The  horizon  was  not,  perhaps,  so  good  as  a  water 
horizon;  yet  the  ice  was,  in  some  places,  so  low  and  free 
from  hummocks,  that  it  afforded  a  very  fair  means  of  ap 
proximating  to  the  sea  level.  Four  of  the  instruments 
agreed  in  giving  for  the  latitude  81°  20';  which  was 
adopted.  The  vessel  had  been  drifting  with  the  ice  since 
9  a.  m.  The  longitude  was  determined  by  morning  sights 
taken  at  8  a.  m.,  using  this  latitude;  it  being  assumed  that 
the  drift  from  9  a.  m.  had  brought  the  ship  back  to  the  po 
sition  she  occupied  when  the  morning  observations  were 
taken.  The  result  placed  the  Polaris  in  longitude  64°  34' 
west  of  Greenwich. 

When  the  fog  lifted  so  that  the  ice  ahead  could  be 
seen,  the  engine  was  set  in  motion,  and  the  ship  was 
worked  northward  between  very  large  fioes.  Cape  Lieber 
was  distinguished  on  the  western  coast.  The  eastern 
coast  appeared  at  first  to  bend  to  the  east,  and  then  to 
the  west,  and,  uniting  with  the  western  coast,  to  form  a 


82  Working  to  the  North. 

1871.     large  bay,  the  extreme  width  of  which  might  be  thirty- 
August. 

five  or  forty  miles,  with  Kennedy  Channel  for  its  southern 

outlet. 

At  1  p.  in.,  however,  a  strait  some  twenty  miles  in 
width  was  distinguished,  and  the  ship's  head  was  turned 
toward  it.  The  southerly  current  was  very  strong,  and 
carried  with  it  large  quantities  of  ice. 

At  4.30  p.  m.,  it  again  became  foggy;  after  making  an 
attempt  for  an  hour  and  a  half  to  advance,  the  ship  was 
again  fastened  to  a  floe.  Here  another  cylinder,  prop 
erly  prepared,  was  thrown  overboard. 

At  a  quarter  past  seven,  the  fog  again  lifted  and  the 
vessel  once  more  resumed  her  course.  The  ice  through 

o 

which  she  was  working  her  way  was  more  formidable 
than  any  that  she  had  hitherto  encountered.  Old  floes  of 
great  area  and  thickness  piled  themselves  one  upon  another. 

The  noise  produced  by  these  contacts  is  peculiar.  It 
varies  in  intensity  and  in  the  character  of  the  sound. 
The  floes  were  often  three  or  four  miles  in  extent ;  before 
risking  the  ship  between  two  such  masses,  it  was  neces 
sary  to  be  sure  either  that  she  could  pass  through  or 
could  reach  an  indentation  where  she  might  be  secured 
during  the  conflict.  These  emergencies  required  prompt 
decision. 

Matured  experience  and  judgment  are  indispensable 
in  this  peculiar  navigation.  Captain  Hall  had  good  reason 


Under  Difficulties.  83 

for  self-congratulation  upon  his  selection  of  officers;  and     1871. 

Aii{»  list. 

the  people,  by  their  activity  and  promptness,  performed 
their  part  faithfully. 

The  strait  through  which  the  vessel  continued  slowly 
to  work  its  way  trended  northeast;  it  is  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  miles  in  width,  and  is  bordered  by  high 
mountainous  land,  broken  here  and  there  by  ravines,  but 
in  general  presenting  a  perpendicular  line  of  cliffs,  with 
terraced  debris  at  the  base,  sloping  to  the  water's  edge. 
There  was  no  snow  on  the  land,  and,  excepting  the  ice, 
there  was  no  evidence  that  the  region  was  fifteen  and  a 
half  degrees  above  the  Arctic  circle. 

The  full  force  of  the  current  was  now  felt,  and  the 
ship  labored  hard  to  make  much  progress.  To  increase 
the  difficulties  of  navigation,  the  fog  again  settled  down, 
and  shut  out  everything  from  view.  Captain  Hall  was 
much  disappointed  at  this.  It  cast  a  damper  over  the 
pleasant  expectations  which  had  been  indulged  by  all  on 
board  in  consequence  of  their  early  success. 

When  the  vessel  started,  everything  seemed  favor 
able:  the  fog  lifted;  the  weather  became  cooler;  and  a 
breeze  sprung  up  from  the  north.  The  old  and  experi 
enced  Arctic  navigators  predicted  clear  weather,  but  in  a 
short  time  they  were  compelled  to  acknowledge  their 
mistake.  Every  effort,  however,  was  made  to  overcome 
the  difficulties,  and  the  word  was  always  "  Onward." 


84  The  Highest  Point  Reached. 

1H71.  During  the  remainder  of  the  night,  and  for  several 

August. 

hours  of  the  early  part  of  the  30th,  the  ship  was 
kept  moving  toward  the  north;  immense  ice -fields 
were  passed,  increasing,  with  the  latitude,  in  size  and 
number. 

At  6  a.  in.,  the  highest  point  was  reached.  The  ice 
then  became  so  compact  that  it  w^as  impossible  to  force 
the  vessel  through.  So  far  as  the  eye  could  penetrate  the 
fog,  there  was  no  open  space  to  the  north;  even  if  there 
had  been,  there  was  no  passage  leading  to  it.  The  Polaris 
had  reached  the  northern  limit  of  her  voyage.  Herman 
Siemens  (whose  record  of  the  state  of  the  ice  at  that 
time  is  the  only  one  preserved),  says,  "We  saw  firm  ice 
from  one  coast  to  the  other." 

Feeling  a  pride  in  what  the  ship  had  already  done, 
Captain  Hall  was  ambitious  to  accomplish  still  more,  and 
was  grieved  when  he  found  himself  in  front  of  an  impass 
able  barrier.  He  enjoyed,  however,  the  satisfactory 
reflection  that  everything  had  been  done  that  was  possi 
ble.  He  did  full  justice  to  the  exertions  of  his  officers 
and  men.  Up  to  this  time  (as  on  subsequent  occasions) 
the  vessel  proved  well  fitted  for  the  service. 

It  is  impossible  to  determine  the  precise  latitude 
which  the  Polaris  had  attained  when  at  her  highest 
northing.  Eighteen  hours  before,  her  position  had  been 
accurately  determined ;  from  that  point  her  place  was 


Its  Latitude.  85 

carried  forward  by  dead  reckoning.  Two  separate  log-  1871. 
books  were  kept,  in  which  the  courses  and  distances  were 
correctly  entered ;  two  patent  logs  were  used  for  the  latter. 
Messrs.  Bessels,  Bryan,  and  Meyer,  composing  the  scien 
tific  corps,  had  kept  regular  watch  from  the  departure 
of  the  ship  from  Tessi-Ussak  up  to  the  time  when  her 
progress  was  arrested.  They  also  kept  a  journal,  in 
which  were  entered  the  courses,  and  the  distances  (deter 
mined  by  one  of  the  separate  patent  logs) ;  and  this  was 
entirely  independent  of  the  ship's  log-book  kept  by  the 
mate. 

No  better  method  could  have  been  adopted  for  secur 
ing  all  the  accuracy  possible  under  the  circumstances ;  yet 
the  difficulties  and  interruptions  in  polar  navigation  are  so 
unceasing  and  violent  that  it  is  impossible  to  speak  of 
results  like  these  as  being  anything  more  than  approxi 
mations  to  the  truth. 

The  highest  position  assigned  to  the  Polaris  by  Cap 
tain  Hall  was  82°  26'. 

Mr.  Meyer,  the  meteorologist,  gave,  as  the  result  of 
his  very  careful  computations,  in  which  all  circumstances 
and  allowances  were  taken  into  account,  the  latitude  of 
82°  16'.  . 

Captain  Hall's  determination  is  regarded  as  more 
exact  by  Mr.  Bryan,  the  astronomer  of  the  expedition. 

The  whole  subject  has  been  carefully  reviewed  at 


86 

1871. 

August. 


Its  Latitude. 

the  Hydrographic  Office,  and  the  result  of  this  revision 
is  that  the  highest  point  reached  hy  the  Polaris  was 
82°  11'.* 

*  See  page  96. 


87 


UN  IV 


CHAPTER    IV. 


It  was  impossible  to  maintain  the  vessel  at  this  point.     1871, 
She  drifted  from  it  with  the  current.     After  steaming  a 

O 

few  miles  to  the  southward,  at  7.30  a.  m.  of  the  30th, 
she  was  secured  to  a  large  ice-floe  for  protection.  To  add 
to  the  gloom  created  hy  the  fog,  the  snow  began  to  fall, 
shutting  out  the  view  of  all  objects  not  very  near,  even 
those  on  board  the  vessel.  The  Polaris  continued  to 
drift  slowly  to  the  south. 

At  6.30  p.  m.,  it  ceased  to  snow.  At  7.15,  the  ice 
opened  somewhat,  and  the  vessel,  having  cast  off  from 
the  floe,  steamed  toward  the  southeast  (true)  nearly  two 
miles,  and  then  toward  the  east  about  two  miles  and  a 
quarter.  Having  made  this  traverse,  she  arrived  at  the 
eastern  shore,  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  small  bay  which 
Captain  Hall  determined  to  explore.  Accordingly,  at 
8.55  p.  m.,  the  engine  was  stopped,  and  he  attempted  to 
land  in  one  of  the  whale-boats.  He  failed  in  his  attempt 
on  account  of  the  large  quantity  of  ice  and  the  rapidity 


89 


90  Working  among  the  Floes. 

1871.     with  which  it  was  passing  the  mouth  of  the  bay.     The 

August. 

vessel,  after  moving  a  short  distance  off,  was  again  made 
fast  to  a  floe.  About  one  hour  afterward,  at  10  p.  m., 
she  started  again,  and,  after  moving  a  little  over  a  mile  to 
the  north,  another  to  the  northeast,  and  another  to  the 
west,  she  was  again  secured  by  ice-anchors.  These  rapid 
movements  in  different  directions  were  necessary,  in  order 
to  keep  the  vessel  free.  While  fast  to  a  floe,  and  drifting 
with  it  to  the  south,  the  ice  would  collect  about  the  hull 
and  close  her  in.  The  real  danger  apprehended,  consisted 
less  in  the  possibility  of  her  being  seriously  injured  by  the 
masses,  than  in  her  being  thus  permanently  imprisoned  for 
the  winter.  To  avoid  such  danger,  whenever  there  was 
the  least  opportunity  of  breaking  away  from  her  confine 
ment,  the  engine  was  started,  and  any  direction  was  taken 
which  promised  to  release  the  vessel.  Soon  after  the  last 
interruption,  a  copper  cylinder  containing  a  record  of  the 
ship's  progress  was  thrown  into  the  water. 

On  the  31st,  snow  fell  rapidly  from  1  to  6  a.  m., 
when  it  cleared  away  somewhat.  At  6.30,  the  ship  was 
again  under  way.  After  steering  a  variety  of  courses,  she 
had  made  a  distance  of  four  and  three-quarters  miles, 
when  she  was  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  shore. 
Captain  Hall  renewed  the  effort  of  the  previous  evening 
to  explore  the  little  bay.  He  was  unsuccessful  in  this 
second  attempt,  but  ascertained  that  it  was  unsuitable 


Ice  Barrier.  91 

for  a  harbor.  In  commemoration  of  his  two  defeats,  he  1871. 
named  it  Repulse  Harbor.  At  9.10  a.  m.,  the  ship  was 
headed  N.  E.,  and  kept  at  that  point  until  12  o'clock, 
during  which  time  the  distance  run  by  the  log  was  seven 
and  three-quarters  miles.  A  low  island  was  reported,  but 
its  existence  is  doubtful. 

At  noon,  the  vessel  stopped  because  its  further  prog 
ress  was  barred  by  an  impenetrable  wall  of  ice.  About 
it  large  floes  were  moving,  almost  covering  the  surface  of 
the  water,  and  it  was  only  by  the  exercise  of  the  greatest 
care  that  the  ship  was  kept  clear.  It  is  difficult  to  convey 
in  language  a  correct  idea  of  the  scene  at  this  time. 
Only  those  experienced  in  arctic  navigation  can  appreciate 
the  difficulties  with  which  the  Polaris  had  to  contend. 
After  the  ship  was  stopped  it  was  evidently  useless  to 
attempt  to  force  a  passage,  at  least  along  the  eastern  coast 
of  the  channel. 

The  sailing  and  ice  master,  Oapt.  S.  0.  Budington, 
urged  Captain  Hall  to  seek  a  harbor  at  once  and  go  into 
winter  quarters.  He  had  noticed  on  the  way  up  what 
appeared  to  be  the  entrance  to  a  large  bay  on  the  eastern 
coast,  only  a  few  miles  south  of  the  present  position;  and 
he  pressed  upon  Hall  to  secure  an  anchorage  there.  He 
insisted  that,  advance  being  impossible,  it  was  useless  to 
expose  the  vessel  to  the  peril  of  being  crushed,  or  to  the 
risk  of  losing  all  the  ground,  attained  with  so  much  diffi- 


t)2  Consultation. 

1871.     culty,  by  her  being  carried  to  the  south  with  the  ice  during 

August. 

the  whole  of  the  approaching  winter. 

The  question  which  Captain  Hall  was  thus  called 
upon  to  decide  was  one  of  vital  importance.  His  remark 
able  success  hitherto  had  excited  his  ardor,  and  he  could 
not  bear,  even  under  these  circumstances,  to  entertain  the 
idea  of  retreat.  Unwilling  to  rely  on  his  own  judgment, 
he  called  a  council  of  the  officers,  convening  them  on 
the  hurricane-deck  which  commanded  a  view  of  the  situ 
ation.  He  asked  the  opinion  of  each  in  turn,  beginning 
with  the  least  experienced. 

Dr.  Bessels  was  of  the  opinion  that  it  would  be 
much  better  to  reach  the  western  coast,  where  a  pas 
sage  might  be  found  to  the  north  along  the  land,  and 
where  sledge-traveling  in  the  spring  would  be  more  prac 
ticable. 

The  mind  of  Mr.  Chester,  the  mate,  was  bent  on 
saving  all  the  ground  already  gained  as  the  best  prepara 
tion  for  sledge-traveling  in  the  spring. 

Capt.  George  E.  Tyson,  the  assistant  navigator, 
whose  experience  in  command  of  whaling-vessels  was 
second  only  to  that  of  the  ice  and  sailing  master,  was 
then  called  upon.  He  had  spent  much  of  his  time  during 
the  voyage  in  the  crow's-nest,  and  was  well  posted  in  re 
gard  to  the  condition  of  the  ice;  he  knew  also  the  real 
strength  of  the  ship.  His  advice  was  to  seek  a  harbor  as 


Consultation.  93 

soon  as  possible,  and,  if  the  ice  should  be  driven  out  of     1871. 

\  II  &T  IlSt* 

the  channel  by  the  wind,  to  start  again  for  the  north. 

Captain  Budington  was  the  last  called  upon.  He 
reiterated  what  he  had  said  to  Hall  himself.  He  pointed 
out  the  bay,  afterward  named  Newman's  Bay,  which  he 
wished  to  have  the  vessel  enter,  and  enlarged  upon  the 
dangers  and  difficulties  to  be  encountered  in  forcing  her 
through  the  pack  toward  the  western  shore. 

After  hearing  these  opinions,  Captain  Hall  took  time 
for  reflection  before  expressing  his  own.  The  belief  ap 
pears  to  have  been  unanimous  that  it  was  impossible  to 
advance  to  the  north  along  the  eastern  side.  There  re 
mained  but  one  of  two  things  to  do  ;  either  to  seek  a  har 
bor  immediately  on  the  east  coast,  or  to  run  the  ship 
westward.  Hall  was  inclined  to  take  the  second  course, 
particularly  on  account  of  the  opportunity  it  might  afford 
for  sledge-traveling,  for  progress  was  the  thing  nearest 
to  his  heart ;  his  hopes  had  been  highly  stimulated  by  his 
success  so  far.  The  first  course,  that  of  going  immedi 
ately  into  harbor,  was  recommended  by  those  whose  opin 
ions  were  professional,  and  were  given  with  an  authority 
that  could  not  be  resisted.  These  were,  that  the  vessel 
had  done  what  she  could ;  that  the  western  coast  could 
not  be  reached  in  the  present  condition  of  the  ice ;  that 
the  winter  was  beginning ;  that  young  ice  had  already 
commenced  forming  : — the  danger  of  losing  everything 


94  Hall's  Decision. 

1871.     being  so  great,  a  safe  anchorage  should  be  immediately 

August. 

secured. 

Hall's  final  decision  was  to  make  an  attempt  to  get 
to  the  westward,  and,  if  defeated,  to  seek  immediately  a 
harbor  on  the  eastern  coast. 

During  the  afternoon,  the  atmosphere  was  very  clear, 
and  both  shores  of  the  channel  could  be  seen  distinctly. 
They  appeared  to  extend  to  the  north  for  a  considerable 
distance,  and  then  to  diverge  in  opposite  directions.  The 
western  coast  stretched  much  farther  to  the  north  before 
turning  toward  the  west.  Far  to  the  north  and  northeast, 
skirting  the  horizon  and  extending  almost  entirely  across 
the  open  space  between  the  two  coasts,  was  a  dark-look 
ing  cloud  which  gave  rise  to  great  differences  of  opinion 
among  the  officers  of  the  expedition.  Some  of  them 
thought  that  it  was  a  water-cloud,  indicating  the  existence 
of  an  open  sea  to  the  north.  Several  persons  who  were 
noted  for  their  sharp  sight  were  very  certain  that  at  dif 
ferent  points  along  the  cloud  they  had  made  out  the  out 
lines  of  land.  Others  again,  were  inclined  to  adopt  both 
views,  and  attempted  to  point  out  a  difference  in  the  col 
oring  of  the  different  parts  of  the  cloud.  Near  the  hori 
zon,  where  the  darkest  shade  was,  they  recognized  a 
water-cloud,  while  in  the  lighter  portions  above,  they 
thought  they  distinguished  a  fog-bank.  Others  of  the 
ship's  company  contended  that  it  was  a  fog-bank  resting 


Water-clouds.  95 

against  a  mountainous  coast,  and  that  where  it  occasion-     1871. 
ally  opened    they  could   distinctly  see   bold   headlands. 
The  question  remained  for  many  days  a  fruitful  theme  for 
discussion. 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  well  to  mention  here  that  these 
water-clouds  form  over  open  spaces  of  water.  A  very 
heavy  cloud  will  sometimes  exist  over  a  small  opening  in 
the  ice,  and  the  conclusion,  therefore,  that  large  expanses 
of  water  must  necessarily  be  found  under  water-clouds,  is 
not  warranted  by  the  experience  of  navigators. 

Captain  Koldewey  remarks  that  the  existence  of  an 
open  Polar  sea,  supposed  to  have  been  seen  by  several 
Arctic  explorers,  is  founded  upon  these  very  appearances; 
but  hitherto  they  have  proved  to  be  deceptive.  They 
prove  the  existence  of  a  patch,  more  or  less  extensive,  of 
open  water,  and  nothing  more.* 

But  whatever  doubt  there  might  be  as  to  the  exist 
ence  of  open  water  to  the  north,  there  was  none  in  regard 
to  the  space  around  the  vessel.  From  the  mast-head  no 
water  whatever  could  be  seen  except  occasional  pools. 

The  Polaris  moved  with  the  greatest  difficulty.  Not 
withstanding  the  improvement  of  every  possible  chance 
and  of  every  favorable  opening,  she  had  made  only  twelve 
miles  at  4.45  p.  m.,  when  the  patent  logs  were  taken  in. 

*Die  zweite  Deutsche  Nordpolarfahrt  in  den  jakren  1869  uud 
1870.  Erster  Band,  Erziihleuder  Theil,  zweite  Abtheilung,  Seite  627. 


96  Finally  Beset. 

1871.     After  struggling  bravely  for  another  hour,  the  ice  closed 

September 

in  and  barred  all  further  efforts.  When  finally  she  was 
secured  by  ice- anchors  sunk  in  one  of  the  largest  floes,  it 
would  have  been  absolutely  impossible  for  her  to  move 
twenty  feet .  in  any  direction.  In  these  four  and  three- 
quarter  hours,  with  all  her  labor,  twelve  miles  only,  as 
has  been  mentioned,  were  traversed,  and  of  these  three 
only  were  to  the  north. 

This  advance  placed  the  ship  at  4.45  p.  m.  in  latitude 
82°  16' N.;  a  result  deduced  from  observations  obtained 
independently  of  those  which  had  given  her  position  at  6 
a.  m.  of  August  30.  The  latter  were  determined  by  dead 
reckoning  from  noon  of  the  preceding  day;  the  former 
started  from  the  latitude  of  the  southern  entrance  of 
Repulse  Harbor,  determined  by  Mr.  Meyer,  by  a  me 
ridian  subpolar  observation  on  June  30th  of  the  next 
year.  This  reckoning,  made  up  from  this  subsequent  ob 
servation,  takes  into  account  the  courses  and  distances 
only  without  allowance  for  current  or  drift.  Where  so 
many  disturbing  causes  existed,  the  effect  of  which  cannot 
now  be  estimated,  the  determination  must  be  received  as 
approximate  only. 

During  the  morning,  of  the  1st  of  September,  a  light 
wind  blew  from  the  N.N.E.,  accompanied  by  snow-squalls. 
The  vessel  continued  closely  beset  by  ice.  A  few  de 
tached  pools  of  water  were  seen  to  the  north  and  east. 


Drifting.  97 

At  noon,  the  snow  ceased,  but  the  sky  remained  completely     1871. 

September 

overcast,  while  to  the  north  a  dense  water-cloud  was  seen 
apparently  nearer  the  vessel  than  that  observed  the  day 
before.  Forced  by  the  wind,  the  ice  continued  to  press 
closer  and  closer  upon  the  ship,  and  the  constant  grinding 
against  her  sides  was  anything  but  pleasant.  The  danger 
increasing  from  hour  to  hour,  Hall  ordered  every  man  to 
hold  himself  in  readiness  to  leave  the  sjiip  at  an  instant's 
notice.  The  canvas-bags  in  which  the  clothing  had  been 
kept  from  the  commencement  of  the  voyage  for  such  con 
tingencies,  were  placed  where  they  could  be  readily  seized 
upon;  other  little  preparations,  such  as  would  occur  to  no  one 
except  under  similar  circumstances,  were  promptly  made ; 
and  all  the  members  of  the  expedition  waited  for  the  issue 
over  which  they  felt  they  had  no  control: — it  was  in  the 
hands  of  Him  whose  constant  protection  they  had  hitherto 
enjoyed. 

The  ice  pressed  very  hard  against  the  stern  of  the 
vessel,  and  fears  were  entertained  that  damage  would 
be  done  to  the  propeller.  Accordingly  the  hoisting- 
apparatus  was  placed  in  position,  and  the  screw  was 
lifted  into  the  well  which  had  been  built  for  its  recep 
tion.  Several  attempts  were  made  to  unship  the  rudder, 
but  the  ice  was  bound  against  it  so  firmly  that  it  could  not 
be  moved.  It  was  left  to  its  fate,  and  preparations  were 
made  for  supplying  its  place  in  case  it  were  carried  away. 


98  Looking  for  a  Harbor. 

1871.  The  ship,  while  drifting,  had  been  set  by  the  wind 

September 

toward  the  western  coast,  and  a  bay  was  seen  nearly 
opposite  which  appeared  to  promise  secure  anchorage. 
Captain  Hall,  taking  Mr.  Chester  with  him,  crossed  the 
floe  to  which  the  vessel  was  attached,  to  examine  the  ice 
between  it  and  the  shore,  and  to  judge  of  the  possibility 
of  making  an  opening  for  the  Polaris  into  this  bay.  The 
lioe  was  very  large,  although  not  the  largest  of  those  which 
impeded  and  finally  closed  the  navigation  of  the  channel. 
It  was  about  two  miles  broad  by  perhaps  three  or  four  in 
length,  and  drifted  with  its  narrow  end  to  the  south.  Its 
surface  was  uneven,  so  that  at  the  distance  of  a  mile,  one 
would  be  entirely  lost  sight  of  while  in  its  depressions, 
and  would  be  seen  only  on  the  elevations.  The  bottoms 
of  these  fioes  are  usually  covered  with  small  lakes,  formed 
during  the  short  summer  by  the  melting  of  the  ice  and 
snow.  These  lakes  are  frozen  solid  during  the  winter,  but 
in  the  summer  and  early  autumn  they  reflect  the  sun  from 
their  surfaces  and  exhibit  a  variety  of  colors  'beneath. 
Their  waters  are  sufficiently  fresh  for  use  when  first 
melted,  but  after  considerable  evaporation  they  cease  to 
be  palatable. 

When  Hall  and  his  party  reached  the  western  edge 
of  the  floe  they  climbed  some  hummocks  twenty  feet 
above  its  average  level.  They  judged  that  thc}r  were 
within  four  miles  of  the  land,  and  discovered,  much  to 


A  Nip.  99 

their  joy,  that  the  mouth  of  the  bay  seemed  to  he  open;     1871. 

September 

also,  that  with  a  little  management  the  vessel  might  reach 
it  from  the  western  side  of  the  floe.  They  began  to 
return  in  haste,  that  they  might  form  an  opinion  whether 
there  was  an  opportunity  for  the  ship  to  round  the  floe 
either  to  the  north  or  to  the  south.  But  before  they 
reached  the  vessel,  the  open  spaces  extending  toward  the 
bay  on  the  western  coast  closed  up,  and  the  heavy  ice 
again  covered  the  surface  of  the  water.  Even  if  the  ves 
sel  had  been  able  to  round  the  floe,  she  could  have  made 
no  progress  toward  the  bay,  her  place  of  shelter.  Captain 
Hall  was  very  much  disappointed;  he  had  entertained 
during  his  walk  strong  hopes  that  the  ship  would  have 
been  before  night  safely  anchored  in  this  bay. 

At  7  p.  m.,  a  huge  berg  bore  down  upon  the  vessel, 
piling  up  the  masses  of  ice  before  it.  A  strong  easterly 
wind  blowing  at  the  time  accelerated  its  movement,  and, 
driving  the  smaller  pieces  more  rapidly  than  the  floes, 
accumulated  them  about  the  vessel.  She  suffered  a  nip. 
The  pressure  was  so  great  that  the  hawsers,  bent  to  the 
ice-anchors  in  the  floe,  parted  under  the  strain.  The 
ship  heeled  over,  and  was  almost  forced  upon  the  sur 
face  of  the  floe.  The  ice  was  piled  up  to  the  bulwarks, 
and  the  timbers  creaked.  The  ice  being  twenty  feet  thick, 
pressed  with  such  power  that  there  was  every  reason  to 
expect  the  most  disastrous  consequences.  Active  prcpa- 


100  Landing  Stores, 

1871.     rations  were  made  for  preserving  life  if  the  vessel  should 

September  .  . 

be  destroyed,  btores,  provisions,  guns,  and  ammunition 
were  taken  from  the  hold  and  placed  on  deck.  At  9 
p.  m.,  the  wind  moderated  and  the  pressure  of  the  ice 
diminished  so  much  that  the  ship  righted;  all  was  quiet 
during  the  remainder  of  the  night. 

The  morning  of  the  2d,  was  cloudy;  a  light  wind 
blew  from  the  northeast,  and  snow-squalls  prevailed. 
Land  was  seen  through  the  occasional  openings  in  the 
thick  mist  and  drifting  snow.  These  glimpses  were  suf 
ficient  to  show  that  the  Polaris  was  being  carried  rapidly 
to  the  south.  The  chances  seemed  to  be  that  she  would 
not  be  released  from  her  icy  prison,  and  would  be  either 
destroyed  or  carried  to  the  south  during  the  whole  of  the 
long  winter  about  setting  in.  It  became  prudent  to  pre 
pare  for  the  worst. 

It  was  decided  to  land  sufficient  coal  and  provisions 
upon  the  ice  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  ship's  company 
during  the  winter;  and  to  do  this  immediately.  At  2 
p.  m.,  all  hands  were  called  and  set  to  work  transferring 
the  stores  from  the  Polaris  to  the  floe.  They  were  run 
off  on  inclined  planes  and  carried  a  short  distance  back 
on  the  floe  by  means  of  sledges.  Two  sleds  were  used ; 
one  belonged  to  Hans  Hendrick ;  the  other,  presented  by 
Mr.  Henry  Grinnell,  of  New  York,  had  been  used  by 
Lieutenant  Hartstene  in  his  voyage  for  the  relief  of  Dr. 


i>  I  B  It  A  IV  r 

:  N'lVERSITY   OF 

CALIFORNIA. 


Divine  Service.  101 

Kane.     To  double  the  chances  of  saving  something  if  the     1871. 

September 

ice  should  break  up,  two  piles  of  stores  were  made  on  the 
floe  at  some  distance  from  each  other. 

At  2.30,  the  pressure  was  again  felt,  though  by  no 
means  so  great  as  before.  A  very  thick  snow-storm 
added  to  the  gloominess  of  the  scene.  Since  the  danger 
was  imminent  the  men  worked  very  hard.  When  the 
deck  had  been  pretty  well  cleared  and  the  stores  on  the 
ice  carefully  packed  and  secured  in  the  two  places  of  de 
posit,  other  articles  were  broken  out  from  below,  and 
placed  on  deck  for  immediate  use.  Having  worked  until 
midnight,  the  crew  was  sent  below  to  take  the  rest  they 
had  fairly  earned. 

On  the  3d,  the  wind  shifted  to  the  southeast.  Snow 
fell  nearly  all  day  in  large  quantities.  The  land  was 
rarely  in  sight,  but  enough  was  seen  to  lead  to  the  conclu 
sion  that  the  ship  was  still  drifting  south.  The  change 
in  the  wind  had  loosened  the  ice  and  relaxed  the  pressure 
on  the  ship.  The  floe  to  which  she  had  been  again 
fastened  turned  in  different  directions.  The  loose  pieces 
of  ice  near  the  vessel  also  felt  the  effect  of  this  relaxation, 
and  occasionally  opened  for  an  instant. 

At  11  a.  m.,  all  hands  were  called  to  the  cabin  to 
attend  divine  service.  Before  the  service  Captain  Hall 
took  the  opportunity  to  speak  of  their  work  and  future 
prospects.  He  said  that  the  vessel  had  reached  latitude 


102  Remarks  of  Captain  Hall 

1871.  82°  26'  N. — a  position  higher  than  that  attained  hy  any 
other  ship  ;  that  they  had  done  all  they  could,  and  had 
only  given  in  to  a  force  that  it  was  impossible  to  resist ; 
that  if  it  were  God's  will  that  the  vessel  should  con 
tinue  to  drift  during  the  winter,  they  still  might  be 
proud  of  the  success  already  accomplished;  that  even  if 
nothing  more  were  done,  he  felt  amply  repaid  for  all 
his  labors ;  and  that  they  might  all  be  proud  to  return 
to  their  country  with  such  a  record  as  they  had  already 
made.  He  assured  them  that  they  had  no  reason  for 
doubting  the  final  accomplishment  of  their  ardently- 
desired  object — reaching  the  Pole.  In  conclusion,  he 
urged  upon  all  to  give  the  closest  attention  to  the  reli 
gious  services  in  which  they  were  about  to  engage,  as, 
at  that  particular  time,  they  all  needed  the  assistance  of 
a  higher  power.  Immediately  upon  the  close  of  these 
remarks  divine  service  was  conducted  by  Mr.  Bryan. 
Hermann  Siemens,  a  very  devout  man,  thus  closes  the 
record  of  the  day :  "  Ship  and  crew  appear  to  be  a 
ready  prey  to  the  ice.  But  there  is  a  God,  who  aids 
and  saves  from  death;  to  Him  I  trust,  between  these 
icebergs,  although  I  know  that  I  do  not  deserve  all  the 
good  He  grants  me." 

The  heavy  snow-storm  and  the  southeast  wind  con 
tinued  on  the  4th,  until  2  a.  m.,  when  the  weather 
cleared.  During  the  morning  the  sun  made  its  appear- 


Casting  off.  103 

ance  for  the  first  time  since  August  29th,  but  was  again  1871. 
obscured  before  the  artificial  horizon  could  be  made 
ready  on  the  floe  ;  and  no  other  opportunity  of  taking  an 
observation  occurred.  The  atmosphere  was  compara 
tively  clear,  and  from  the  mast-head  a  considerable  por 
tion  of  the  surrounding  ice  could  be  seen.  From  its 
movement  and  the  favorable  aspects  of  the  weather,  it 
was  thought  that  the  ice  would  soon  open  and  free  the 
vessel,  giving  her  another  chance  to  secure  a  safe  anchor 
age.  To  be  prepared  to  take  advantage  of  a  favorable 
opportunity,  the  men  were  set  to  work  to  get  on  board 
the  stores  which  had  been  placed  upon  the  floe.  At  the 
end  of  four  hours  of  active  labor,  at  1  p.  m.,  the  ship  was 
ready  to  leave  the  ice. 

With  a  good  deal  of  difficulty  the  ice  was  cleared 
from  the  propeller-well,  and  the  screw  was  shipped.  At 
2  p.  m.,  the  wind  shifted  to  the  northeast,  accelerating  the 
movements  of  the  ice  and  greatly  assisting  in  opening  a 
passage.  At  9  p.  m.,  steam  having  been  raised,  the  ves 
sel  cast  off  from  the  floe  and  be^an  to  steam  in  toward 

~ 

the  eastern  coast.  In  a  short  time  she  was  clear  of  the 
ice,  and  in  a  channel  of  open  water  extending  some  four 
or  five  miles  from  the  land,  and  "  toward  the  North  as 
far  as  could  be  seen  from  the  mast-head." 

When  the  ship  started,  she  was  about  thirteen  miles 
to  the  southeast  of  that  cape  which  forms  the  southern 


104  Providential  Escape. 

1871.     entrance  on  the  Greenland  side  to  the  channel  from  which 

September 

she  had  just  drilled. 

As  the  vessel  approached  the  land  a  peculiar  smell  of 
burning  cloth  filled  the  air.  On  an  investigation  ordered 
by  Hall,  it  proved  to  be  owing  to  the  burning  of  the  felt 
covering  on  the  little  boiler  of  the  engine.  Further  ex 
amination  revealed  the  alarming  fact  that  the  feeding  cock 
had  been  accidentally  turned  off  by  the  carelessness  of  a  sea 
man  wrho  had  hung  upon  it  something  to  dry.  With 
admirable  presence  of  mind,  Engineer  Schumann  immedi 
ately  hauled  the  fires  and  took  precautions  to  prevent  any 
water  from  being  pumped  into  the  boiler  until  it  had  cooled. 
The  safety  of  the  ship  was  entirely  owing  to  his  prompt 
action.  Captain  Hall  and  the  ship's  company  entertained 
a  most  grateful  sense  of  their  deliverance  from  a  frightful 
calamity.  This  escape  immediately  following  their  deliv 
ery  from  their  ice-bound  prison,  inspired  them  with  the 
deepest  sense  of  their  dependence  on  Divine  Providence. 

Midnight  found  the  Polaris  close   in  to  the  shore. 

o 

Hull  started  in  a  boat  to  look  for  a  good  anchorage  He 
landed,  unrolled  the  national  flag,  and  took  possession  of 
the  land  which  he  had  discovered.  Upon  his  return  to 
the  ship  at  1.30  a.  m.  on  the  5th,  the  anchor  was  dropped 
in  ten  fathoms  of  water,  about  300  yards  from  the 
shore. 

According  to  the  log-book,  during  the  three  hours 


At  Anchor.  105 

and  a  quarter  from  getting  under  way  at  8.45  p.  m.  until     1871. 

September 

the  vessel  stopped  at  midnight,  the  course  by  compass 
had  been  S.  by  E.  -J-  E.,  and  the  distance  made  was 
13.8  miles.  By  the  position  of  the  ship  when  anchored 
(subsequently  determined),  her  place  at  the  moment  of 
getting  under  way  was  lat.  81°  32'  N.,  long.  63°  05'  W.; 
hence  during  the  four  days  of  drift  the  vessel  had  moved 
to  the  south  a  distance  of  about  48  miles  in  a  direct  line. 

It  was  with  a  feeling  of  intense  relief  that  Captain 
Hall  heard  the  rattling  of  the  chain  as  the  anchor  was 
dropped.  He  was  so  convinced  of  his  ability  to  accom 
plish  long  distances  by  means  of  sledge-journeys  that  he 
would  have  been  resigned  even  if  compelled  to  winter 
farther  south. 

The  experience  of  the  past  few  days  was  by  no 
means  pleasant;  he  frequently  called  to  mind  the  ac 
counts  of  those  ships  which,  having  been  beset,  had 
drifted  far  to  the  south  during  the  whole  of  a  long  winter. 
Such  an  event,  which  would  have  put  an  end  to  the  ex 
pedition,  was  a  risk  not  to  be  lightly  incurred.  But  not 
relying  wholly  upon  his  own  judgment  and  experience  in 
ice-navigation,  Hall  again  consulted,  separately,  his  sailing- 
master,  assistant  navigator,  and  mate,  as  to  the  practica 
bility  of  attempting  to  get  farther  north  in  the  vessel. 
He  came  to  the  conclusion  that  such  an  attempt  would  be 
injudicious,  and  this  conclusion  was  strengthened  by  the 


10(5  Rest. 

1871.     account  brought  back  by  the  two  Esquimaux,  Joe  and 

September 

Hans,  who  had  been  sent  to  the  top  of  the  cape  overlook 
ing  the  Channel  to  examine  the  condition  of  the  ice. 
They  reported  that  the  straits  were  covered  over  with  a 
dense  fog,  completely  obstructing  the  view;  but  they 
believed,  from  many  signs  which  their  experience  enabled 
them  to  interpret,  that  the  condition  of  the  ice  in  the 
strait  was  not  materially  changed,  and  that  it  would  be 
useless  to  attempt  its  navigation.  The  present  situation 
of  the  Polaris  was  one  of  great  comfort  and  relief  to  all 
hands.  After  the  ship  had  been  made  snug  and  the 
watch  set,  the  officers  and  men  went  below  to  make  up 
for  past  privations  of  rest  and  sleep.  The  next  day  the 
crew  was  set  to  work  transferring  stores  to  the  shore. 
This  was  done  as  a  measure  of  safety. 


CHAPTER    V. 


The  harbor,  which  was  to  be  the  winter  home  of  the     1871. 

September 

Polaris,  was  by  no  means  a  snug  anchorage.  It  was, 
however,  inside  of  the  line  of  the  main  current,  and  was 
somewhat  sheltered  by  a  bold  cape  about  four  miles  to 
the  north,  and  west  of  the  ship's  position.  This  cape 
forms  one  of  the  southern  entrances  to  the  strait  which 
had  just  been  discovered.  Hall  named  it  after  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Navy,  to  whom  he  had  been  indebted  for 
important  aid  in  securing  the  expedition.  He  was  never 
weary  during  the  voyage,  of  acknowledging  his  obliga 
tions  to  the  President  and  to  Mr.  Eobeson.  He  thought 

o 

that  to  them  more  than  to  any  others  he  owed  his  success, 
and  that,  in  return  for  their  kindness,  he  should  labor  the 
more  diligently  to  perform  the  work  before  him.  In  the 
same  spirit  he  named  the  cape,  already  mentioned,  after 
his  early  friend  and  constant  supporter,  Col.  James  Lup- 
ton. 

Besides  the  immunity  from  the  current-driven  ice 

109 


110  Providence  Berg. 

1871.     of   llobeson   Strait,    afforded   by   this   cape,    there   was 

September 

another  source  of  protection.  The  Polaris  was  anchored 
just  inshore  of  the  largest  iceberg  seen  since  entering 
Kennedy  Channel.  Grateful  for  this  indispensable  secu 
rity,  Captain  Hall  named  it  Providence  Berg.  Hermann 
Siemens  gives  its  dimensions  as  follows :  Length,  450 
feet ;  breadth,  300  feet ;  and  height  above  the  water,  60 
feet.  Subsequently  the  name  seemed  to  have  been  pro 
phetic,  for  it  was  the  means  of  saving  the  ship  from  de 
struction,  and  the  members  of  the  expedition  from  great 
suffering  if  not  from  death. 

A  large  quantity  of  stores  and  provisions  were 
landed,  in  order  that,  if  the  vessel  should  be  destroyed  by 
the  ice,  the  crew  could  live  comfortably.  A  light  wind 
from  the  northeast  blew  all  day,  accompanied  by  snow- 
squalls. 

At  some  distance  from  the  shore,  to  the  north  and 
east,  rose  a  high  and  steep  hill,  to  which  was  subse 
quently  given  the  name  of  Observatory  Bluff. 

The  land,  as  seen  from  the  ship,  consisted  of  a  very 
broken  series  of  elevations  and  depressions,  interrupted  by 
occasional  spurs,  which  gave  variety  to  the  view.  The 
mountain-ranges  varied  in  direction  from  south  to  cast, 
and  in  elevation  from  nine  hundred  to  fourteen  hundred 
feet.  Several  prominent  peaks  made  themselves  conspic 
uous  in  the  furthest  and  highest  range.  The  mountains 


Character  of  the  Country.  Ill 

are  composed  of  an  argillaceous  schist,  the  debris  of  which,     1871. 

.       .  September 

the  result  of  atmospheric  influences,  has  spread  over 
large  surfaces.  No  depth  of  soil  is  met  with ;  not  the 
slightest  trace  of  vegetation,  except  a  few  lichens  upon  the 
rocks  (principally  erratic)  strewed  over  the  hills.  On  the 
fragments  of  limestone,  however,  some  very  luxuriant 
specimens  of  lichens  were  occasionally  found. 

The  debris  from  Cape  Lupton  reached  almost  to  the 
sea-shore,  leaving  a  narrow  passage  only,  formed  by  the 
ice-foot,  which,  beginning  at  that  point,  extended  along 
the  eastern  shore  of  Robeson  Strait.  The  plain  was 
cut  by  several  channels  of  water  running  from  the  neigh 
boring  hills  to  the  sea.  Bowlders  were  scattered  over  the 
plain  in  every  direction.  Fresh-water  lakes  were  seen, 
affording  feeding-ground  for  birds ;  also  several  species  of 
grasses  and  of  Arctic  flowering  plants.  In  some  few 
places  real  soil  appeared,  and  on  it  the  flora  of  the  brief 
Arctic  summer  was  abundant.  Near  the  water-courses 
and  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  lakes,  constantly  liable  to 
overflow,  an  alluvium  had  been  formed,  which,  enriched  by 
the  birds  in  great  numbers,  constituted  the  garden-spots  in 
this  otherwise  desert  plain. 

At  this  date  the  snow,  which  it  was  evident  had 
fallen  during  the  last  few  days,  covered  the  land  generally. 
Occasionally  were  seen  in  some  deep  gorge  the  remains  of 
the  last  winter's  snow,  where  it  had  been  closely  packed 


112  Esquimaux  Remains. 

1871.     l>y  the  winds  and  partially  sheltered  from  the  continuous 

September 

sun  of  the  Arctic  day. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  5th,  Captain  Hall  and. 
Dr.  Bessels  took  a  walk  down  the  coast  to  the  south 
ward;  they  discovered  the  remains  of  summer-tents  of 
Esquimaux.  These  remains  are  well  known  to  Arctic 
explorers  and  have  often  been  described.  They  consist 
simply  of  stones  lying  on  the  ground  in  a  circle.  The 
tents  are  made  of  seal-skin,  and  the  stones  are  placed 
upon  their  outer  edges  to  keep  the  skin  taut  over  the 
ridge,  and  also  to  prevent  the  wind  from  entering  or 
overturning  them.  The  Esquimaux  are  accustomed,  upon 
removing  from  their  temporary  homes,  to  take  down  the 
pole  supporting  the  tent,  and  drag  the  skin  from  beneath 
the  stones,  leaving  the  latter  in  position  and  therefore 
easily  identified  as  having  served  this  purpose.  There 
were  several  of  these  circles  near  each  other,  proving  that 
quite  a  large  party  of  Esquimaux  had  passed  a  part  of  a 
summer  in  that  place.  Nothing  indicated  the  length  of 
time  since  these  tents  were  occupied.  The  Esquimaux  had 
certainly  been  there;  for  afterward,  upon  searching  closely, 
several  pieces  of  bone  were  found  with  holes  bored  in 
them,  and  a  small  piece  of  copper  once  used  as  a  needle. 
Among  the  ashes  in  the  fire-place  was  found  a  piece  of 
meteoric  iron,  by  means  of  which  they  had  obtained  fire. 

The    Esquimaux,    Hannah,    found    most    of    these 


Polaris  Bay.  113 

articles,  and  recognized  the  purposes  to  which  they  had     1871. 

September 

been  applied. 

Upon  the  return  of  Hall  to  the  vessel,  he  reported 
that  he  had  seen  a  bay  a  few  miles  south  of  the  anchor 
age,  which  he  thought-  would  make  a  better  harbor.  The 
anchor  was  weighed,  and  the  Polaris  steamed  five  or  six 
miles  down  the  coast.  Many  soundings  were  taken,  but  « 
all  the  little  bays  were  found  to  be  too  shoal.  During 
the  summer  a  number  of  streams  disembogue  along  that 
coast,  bringing  down  much  material  and  filling  up  the 
bays. 

Unable  to  find  a  suitable  harbor  the  vessel  returned; 
and  at  5.30  p.  m.,  resumed  her  first  anchorage.  Large 
flocks  of  brent-geese  were  seen  sporting  themselves  in  the 
water,  and  occasionally  a  seal  would  raise  his  head  to 
watch  the  intruders  upon  his  feeding-grounds. 

The  morning  of  the  6th,  brought  in  a  light  breeze 

O  O  cj 

from  the  N.  N.  E.,  with  snow-squalls.  The  crew  were 
again  early  set  to  work  transferring  stores  from  the  ship 
to  the  shore,  in  which  labor  chcy  were  engaged  all  day. 
To  expedite  their  work,  two  whale-boats,  with  planks  laid 
across,  were  employed,  and  the  distance  being  short  the 
trips  were  rapidly  made,  and  the  ship  was  soon  considera 
bly  lightened.  Toward  noon,  the  sun  came  out  bright ; 
the  instruments  were  taken  on  shore,  and  observations 
made,  for  the  determination  of  the  position.  Captain  Hall 


114  A    Walk  to  Cape  Lupton. 

1871.     from  his  meridian  altitude  obtained  for  the  latitude  81° 
r  38'  N.     A  careful  reduction  of  all  the  altitudes  taken  at 
this  time  gave  the  more  accurate  determination  of  81°  37'. 
This  result  was  confirmed  by  subsequent  observations. 

Immediately  after  meridian,  Captain  Hall,  accompa 
nied  by  the  members  of  the  scientific  corps,  started  on 
a  walk  to  Cape  Lupton.  His  object  was  to  reach  its  sum 
mit  in  order  to  commence  a  survey  of  the  surrounding 
coasts,  and  to  ascertain,  by  personal  inspection,  the  state 
of  the  ice  in  Eobeson  Strait.  The  party  was  provided 
with  a  small  Casella  theodolite,  a  pocket  aneroid  barome 
ter,  and  a  pocket  prismatic  compass  ;  a  rifle  was  also  car 
ried.  They  walked  up  the  coast  toward  the  north  over 
the  snow-covered  plain,  crossing  the  gulleys  and  lakes, 
winding  their  way  through  massive  bowlders  occasionally 
found  in  clusters,  and  selecting  the  summits  of  the  little 
hillocks  and  edges  of  the  ridges,  and  generally  those 
places  where  the  snow  was  least  deep,  avoiding  the  val 
leys,  gorges,  and  other  depressions.  It  was,  however, 
impossible  to  keep  wholly  out  of  the  deep  snow,  because 
the  direction  of  all  the  water-courses,  of  the  gulches,  and 
most  of  the  valleys,  ran  across  their  path.  When  the 
deep  ravine,  separating  Cape  Lupton  from  the  range 
of  mountains  of  which  Observatory  Bluff  is  part,  was 
reached,  fatigue  began  to  show  itself ;  yet  the  most  diffi 
cult  part  of  the  journey  still  lay  before  them — the  ascent 


The  Ascent  of  the  Cape.  115 

of  the  Cape.     Dr.  Bessels  became  interested  in  its  geolog-     1871. 

.     September 

ical  structure,  and  left  the  party  in  order  to  pursue  his 
investigations  among  the  terraces  at  its  hase,  and  to  exam 
ine  the  fossiliferous  bowlders  of  the  plain. 

The  best  mode  of  making  the  ascent  was  fully 
discussed.  The  ravine  seemed  to  be  the  easiest  way,  be 
cause  its  ascent  was  gradual,  and,  after  passing  the  en 
trance,  the  slope  of  the  mountain  was  less.  But  it  was 
the  longer,  and  the  snow-drifts  within  it  were  still  too  fresh 
to  bear  the  weight  of  a  man. 

The  side  of  the  cape  directly  facing  the  ship  was  so 
steep  as  to  make  it  very  difficult  to  climb.  In  the  per 
pendicular  side  fronting  the  ravine,  however,  there  was  a 
gorge  leading  to  the  top  of  the  mountain.  This  gorge 
was  narrow  and  rough,  but  filled  with  fresh  snow,  which 
would  break  a  fall.  It  was  selected  for  their  route,  and 
the  three  commenced  the  ascent  in  Indian  file.  For  a 
time  the  progress  was  satisfactory,  and  objects  in  the  plain 
below,  began  to  appear  smaller.  Soon,  however,  it  was 
discovered  that  the  passage  was  considerably  steeper  than 
had  been  supposed;  it  became  very  difficult.  The  snow, 
thought  to  be  a  few  inches  deep,  was  really  in  some  places 
several  feet  in  depth.  Traveling  up  a  steep  incline,  and 
wading  through  snow  above  the  knees,  and  too  loose  to 
bear  a  person's  weight,  yet  too  firm  to  be  easily  broken, 
proved  to  be  much  severer  labor  than  had  been  expected. 


116  The  Ascent  of  the  Cape. 

1871.     The  perspiration  flowed  freely,  and  had   they  not  been 

ScptcinbCB- 

animated  with  the  spirit  of  true  explorers  they  would 
have  retraced  their  steps.  When  two-thirds  of  the  dis 
tance  to  the  summit  had  heen  accomplished,  Captain  Hall 
left  the  gorge  and  sought  a  pathway  to  the  right,  on  the 
edge  of  the  wall  of  the  ravine.  His  experience  in  Arctic 
travels,  backed  by  much  personal  strength  and  activity, 
carried  him  to  the  summit,  where  he  was  finally  joined 
by  his  companions,  Bryan  and  Meyer.  The  point  now 
reached  was  the  southern  edge  of  the  mountain,  while  the 
real  object  of  their  walk  was  a  still  higher  elevation,  near 
ly  a  mile  beyond,  bordering  on  llobeson  Strait.  The 
country  to  the  west  and  north  towards  the  strait  is  rough 
and  broken. 

On  the  way,  they  met  with  a  curious  rock  formation, 
which  had  the  general  appearance  of  a  house.     It  was 

six  or  seven  feet  high,  with  an  area  of  about  one  hundred 

• 

square  feet,  and  was  the  only  thing  in  that  wide  waste 
which  suggested  thoughts  of  man  and  of  human  habitation. 
The  party  had  the  usual  experience  of  travelers  in 
Arctic  regions.  The  elevation  immediately  before  them 
seemed  to  be  the  end  of  the  journey  until  it  was  reached; 
but  on  gaining  the  top  another  eminence  showed  itself, 
and,  perhaps,  beyond  this,  yet  another  appeared.  The 
deception  and  disappointment  in  this  experience  are  partly 
due  to  the  extreme  clearness  of  the  atmosphere,  which 


The  Return.  117 

diminishes  the  apparent  distance,  by  making  objects  seem     1871. 

September 

to  be  near,  because  they  arc  distinctly  seen.  In  spite  ot 
these  disappointments  the  travelers  persevered,  reaching 
finally  the  highest  point  of  the  mountain.  It  bordered  on 
Eobeson  Strait,  of  which  they  obtained  an  excellent 
view.  The  western  coast  was  very  distinctly  seen  as  far 
as  Cape  Union;  beyond-  that,  three  peaks  only,  were  ob 
served.  The  eastern  coast  was  cut  off  from  view  by  a 
projecting  cape  three  or  four  miles  above.  Between 
the  two  coasts  nothing  obstructed  the  horizon.  It  was  an 
ice-horizon  on  which  no  water- cloud  appeared.  The 
channel,  as  far  as  could  be  seen  in  both  directions,  was 
mostly  filled  with  heavy  and  closely-packed  ice.  Immedi 
ately  under  Cape  Lupton  and  about  the  ship  were  patches 
of  open  water. 

After  the  observations  were  taken,  Captain  Hall  and 
his  party  prepared  to  return,  and  found  the  gorge  much 
easier  of  descent.  At  6.30  p.  m.,  they  arrived  at  the  ship 
thoroughly  fatigued,  although  unwilling  to  confess  it. 
The  readings  of  the  aneroid  indicated  that  their  highest 

O  O 

elevation  had  been  between  thirteen  hundred  and  fourteen 
hundred  feet.  The  natives  during  their  absence  had  been 

O 

successful  in  hunting,  having  brought  back  a  seal  and  four 
brent-geese. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  the  wind  blew  strong 
from  the  S.  8.  W.,  and  brought  portions  of  the  pack  in 


118  A  Seal  Shot. 

1871.     toward  the  vessel.     At  4  a.  m.,  all  hands  were  called,  the 
anchor  was  weighed,  and  the  vessel  steamed  a  short  dis- 

o  • 

tance  to  the  southward,  in  order  to  be  more  fully  under 
the  protection  of  Providence  Berg.  A  great  deal  of  snow 
fell  during  the  day,  forming  slush  upon  the  surface  of  the 
water,  and  making  the  passage  of  the  hoats  from  the  ship 
to  the  shore  very  difficult,  so  that  not  many  stores  were 
landed. 

On  the  8th,  a  channel  through  the  frozen  slush  was 
opened,  and  the  observatory  taken  to  the  shore.  The 
building  was  made  in  sections,  and  could  be  put  up 
without  the  use  of  iron,  so  that  it  could  be  employed  in 
magnetic  observations. 

The  temperature  having  fallen  considerably,  during 
the  past  few  days,  and  the  sleeping-apartments  being  un 
comfortably  cold,  a  stove  was  placed  in  the  forecastle,  and 
a  small  one  also  in  the  cabin.  In  consequence  of  the 
frozen  slush  and  the  nearness  of  the  pack,  there  was  very 
little  open  water  around  the  ship.  In  one  of  the  pools, 
near  the  berg,  a  seal  bobbed  up  its  head  and  played  about 
until  it  attracted  the  attention  of  Hans,  who  shot  it  with 
his  rifle.  In  spite,  however,  of  the  best  efforts  of  the 
men,  the  body  sank  before  it  could  be  reached. 

The  channel  between  the  ship  and  the  shore  was 
kept  open  with  difficulty.  The  dogs,  finding  the  ice  suf 
ficiently  strong  to  bear  them,  surrounded  the  vessel  in 


The  Harbor  Named.  119 

quest  of  food.     The  sextants  and  the  artificial  horizons,     1871. 

September 

used  in  observing  for  latitude  on  the  6th,  had  heen  left  on 
shore,  placed  securely,  as  it  was  thought,  in  an  empty 
barrel.  The  dogs  overturned  the  barrel,  broke  open  the 
boxes,  and  dragged  out  some  of  the  .instruments,  doing, 
however,  no  serious  injury.  To  keep  them  from  dis 
turbing  the  sleep  of  the  crew  by  their  howling,  and  to 
provide  a  better  shelter  for  them,  one  of  the  boats  was 
turned  up  on  its  side  on  shore  and  prepared  for  a  kennel. 
The  next  day,  the  men  going  to  feed  them  found  that  the 
ice  had  become  hard  enough  to  bear  their  weight. 

Notwithstanding  the  passing  clouds,  several  altitudes 
of  the  sun  were  taken,  from  which  Captain  Hall  deduced 
61°  44'  W.  as  the  longitude  of  his  winter-quarters.  The 
more  accurate  value  subsequently  determined  was  61° 
37' W. 

On  Sunday,  at  11  a.  in.,  Divine  service  was  held,  as 
usual,  after  which  Hall  spoke  very  encouragingly  of  the 
prospects  of  the  expedition  and  of  his  continued  conviction 
that  he  would  be  able  to  accomplish  his  principal  object. 
He  added  that,  in  humble  recognition  of  the  Divine  hand 
by  which  the  expedition  had  been  guided,  he  had  resolved 
to  name  this  harbor  "Thank-God  Harbor."  The  two 
Esquimaux  went  hunting  in  the  afternoon,  and  Hans 
brought  back  an  Arctic  hare  weighing  8J  pounds.  On 
the  llth,  Captain  Hall  announced  that  the  bay  discovered 


120  Surveys. 

1871.     by  the  expedition,  extending  from  Cape  Lupton  to  what 

September  . 

is  now  named  on  the  map  Cape  Budmgton,  should  receive 
the  name  of  the  vessel. 

Many  things  had  been  provided  in  the  vessel's  outfit 
for  the  entertainment  of  the  crew  during  the  long  Arctic 
winter.  To  make  these  available,  Hall  decided  to  erect 
on  shore  a  house  for  their  recreation.  It  was  to  be  built 
entirely  of  boxes  and  barrels  containing  clothing  and  pro 
visions.  For  transporting  the  materials  ashore,  two  New 
foundland  dogs  were  harnessed  to  a  sled,  and  the  work  of 
transportation  was  carried  on,  in  spite  of  the  high  wind 
and  the  heavy  snow-storm. 

Messrs.  Bryan  and  Meyer  were  engaged  in  local  sur 
veys,  which,  however,  were  much  interrupted  by  the 
storm  raging  on  the  12th.  The  following  results  are  given 
in  their  journals :  The  distance  from  the  observatory  to 
Lookout  Mountain  was  2.26  statute  miles  ;  from  the  ob 
servatory  to  Cape  Lupton,  3.85  statute  miles ;  and  to  the 
ship,  962.2  feet. 

Hans  shot  a  gull  which  had  exhibited  a  singular  free 
dom  from  apprehension,  alighting  on  the  ice  in  close  prox 
imity  to  the  ship. 

The  Arctic  day  was  now  becoming  more  sharply 
defined  in  its  limits.  Up  to  this  time  the  expedition  had 
enjoyed  a  very  strong  twilight  during  the  absence  of  the 
sun,  but  now  that  twilight  was  becoming  more  faint. 


• 


i;  A  >•;  Y  1) 


OF 


V 


A  Narrow  Escape.  121 

At  3  a.  m.  on  the  13th,  all  hands  were  called  on  deck.     1871. 

mi  111  11  •  •  September 

Ihe  watch  had  reported  that  the  ice  was  breaking  up. 
Without  knowing  what  might  be  the  result  it  was  thought. 

~  o  o 

best  to  have  every  one  in  readiness.  The  threatened  dis 
ruption  did  not  take  place  until  10  a.  m.,  when  a  heavy 
floe  broke  up  the  young  ice  and  forced  its  way  toward  the 
vessel.  It  gave  evidence  of  its  progress  by  the  long  cracks, 
extending  even  to  the  land,  and  by  its  piling  up  the  ice  on 
it.  There  appeared  to  be  some  danger  of  its  forcing  the 

Polaris  from  her  anchorage. 

~ 

While  surveying,  Mr.  Meyer  narrowly  escaped  a  seri 
ous  accident.     He  had  ascended  in  a  gorge  through  two- 

O          O  o 

thirds  of  the  way  when  he  came  to  a  perpendicular  wall  of 
rock,  the  height  of  which  did  not  exceed  six  feet.  Placing 

t-j  O 

his  tripod  on  it,  he  attempted  to  climb  over  by  holding  on  to 
its  rough  surface;  but  when  nearly  up,  the  ground  under 
his  feet  gave  way,  and  he  slid  rapidly  down  over  the 
smooth  surface  of  the  snow  through  the  gorge.  Fortu 
nately  he  recovered  himself  before  he  reached  the  base, 
and  escaped  with  torn  clothes  and  a  few  bruises.  He 
was,  however,  obliged  to  renew  the  ascent  in  order  to 
gain  the  tripod,  which  he  dislodged  from  its  place  by 
stones. 

Some  changes  in  the  internal  arrangements  of  the 

o  o 

ship,  particularly  those  for  sleeping  and  eating,  were  ren 
dered  necessary  by  the  approach  of  winter.  The  special 


122  Preparing  for   Winter. 

1871.  object  of  these  was  the  economy  of  fuel  and  the  berthing 
of  the  whole  crew  below  deck.  The  state-rooms,  being 
too  cold,  were  given  up  for  sleeping,  and  Joe  and  Hans, 
with  their  families,  were  brought  down  and  berthed  below. 
The  space  was  so  limited,  that  it  was  necessary  to  set  the 
table  twice.  But  this  contraction  and  crowding  together 
did  not  impair,  in  any  degree,  the  sociability  and  mutual 
kind  feeling  which,  as  is  inferred  from  the  journals,  existed 
in  the  officers'  mess.  Hall's  own  temper  was  eminently 
social,  and  his  nature  was  called  into  play  by  the  conge 
nial  circumstances  with  which  he  was  surrounded.  Happy 
in  the  prospect  before  him,  he  took  part  as  well  in  the 
mirthful  conversations  of  the  mess  as  in  the  serious  dis 
cussions;  he  assisted  in  carrying  out  harmless  jokes.  In 
the  amiable  rivalry  between  Captain  Budington  and  the 
mate,  Mr.  Chester,  as  to  the  merits  of  their  respective  towns, 
he  took  great  interest,  not  only  enjoying  the  witty  retorts 
of  the  mate,  but  helping  to  draw  the  whole  mess  into 
them.  In  this  intrinsic  qualification  of  an  Arctic  explorer, 
the  will  and  the  effort  to  promote  cheerful  occupation, 
mutual  confidence  and  regard,  he  was  by  no  means  deficient. 
The  bull's-eyes  of  the  port-holes  were  dull,  and,  in 
order  to  have  good  light  during  meals,  the  door  of  the  pas 
sage-way  was  generally  left  open.  This  was  not  unpleasant 
while  the  thermometer  was  above  the  freezing-point,  but  it 
had  now  become  too  cold ;  even  with  the  door  shut,  the  pas- 


The  Steward's  Difficulties.  123 

sage  was  not  remarkably  warm.  The  dishes  had  always  1871. 
to  be  brought  from  the  galley  on  the  forward  deck.  The 
ruling  divinity  there,  was  a  colored  man  named  Will 
iam  Jackson.  The  steward  had  not  encountered  much 
difficulty  in  carrying  the  provisions  aft,  since  the  anchor 
was  dropped  in  Thank-God  Harbor,  and  since  the  dogs 
had  been  taken  on  shore.  Before  that  time,  however,  it 
was  a  very  serious  matter  to  be  seen  on  deck  with  any 
eatables.  Herron  was  a  small  man,  and  when  beset  by  a 
crowd  of  the  ravenous  brutes,  he  had  great  difficult}7 
in  forcing  his  way  with  safety,  from  the  cook's  galley 
to  the  door  that  led  into  the  passage.  Now  that  he 
was  freed  from  the  interference  of  the  dogs,  he  had 
another  and  more  invincible  enemy  to  contend  with,  and 
that  was  the  cold.  The  cook  also  found  his  position  by 
no  means  a  comfortable  one,  notwithstanding  the  heat  of 
the  galley.  To  remedy  these  troubles,  as  much  as  possi 
ble,  Captain  Hall  gave  up  his  little  state-room  and  moved 
into  one  of  the  berths  in  the  main  cabin.  Leaving  his 
room  for  the  galley,  he  hoped  that  its  heat  would  warm 
the  passage  sufficiently  to  continue  its  use  as  a  dining- 
saloon. 

Joe  and  Hans,  as  the  result  of  their  day's  work, 
brought  on  board  late  in  the  evening  three  fine  hares,  and 
reported  that  they  had  seen  traces  of  musk-oxen. 

On  the  14th,  the  erection  of  the  recreation-house  was 


124  Surveying. 

1871.     begun,  Mr.  Chester  laying  the  corner-stone  with  appropri- 

Septembcr 

ate  ceremonies. 

As  the  shore-line  to  the  southward  was  low  and 
without  distinct  features,  it  was  decided  to  go  over  the 
ground  and  mark  such  points  as  were  to  be  included  in 
the  survey  of  the  bay.  Mr.  Meyer  had  brought  some  sig 
nal-flags  and  staves,  which  were  used  to  good  purpose  as 
a  means  of  identifying  the  low  projections  of  the  coast. 
Bryan,  Meyer,  and  Mauch  started  at  8  a.  m.  to  carry  out 
the  plan ;  their  intention  being  to  reach  the  mountain  at  the 
entrance  to  the  southern  fiord,  which  they  thought  to  be  about 
ten  miles  distant.  The  more  experienced  Arctic  navigators 
knew  it  to  be  nearer  twenty.  It  rose  so  high  and  appeared 
so  distinct  against  the  horizon,  that  it  seemed  impossible  to 
believe  it  was  more  than  ten  miles  off,  and  the  unexpressed 
conviction  was  that  it  was  not  more  than  six  or  eight. 

On  their  way  down  the  coast,  many  Hags  were 
placed  on  the  projecting  points  of  the  extensive  plain, 
some  thirty  or  forty  feet  above  the  sea-level.  After  lunch 
ing  on  a  few  Graham  crackers,  the  party  started  to  cross 
Polaris  Bay  on  the  ice,  in  the  direction  of  Cape  Tyson. 
The  ice  proved  to  be  much  broken,  with  many  hum 
mocks,  so  that  rapid  progress  was  impossible.  A  %\i\\ 
was  the  only  living  creature  seen.  It  approached  quite 
near,  circling  over  their  heads  while  they  were  planting 
the  staves.  After  four  hours'  travel  over  the  rou^h  ice  of 


Ice  Movements.  125 

the  bay  the  cape  seemed  still  as  far  off  as  when  they     1871. 

September 

started.     Convinced  that  they  could  not  reach  it  before 
night  closed  in,  the  party  returned  to  the  ship. 

The  natives,  who  had  been  absent  all  day,  hunting  on 
the  land,  had  found  no  game,  but  had  again  seen  recent 
tracks  of  musk-oxen.  Hall  was  gratified  to  learn  this,  for 
its  promise  of  fresh  meat.  No  one  knew  better  its  value  as 
an  anti-scorbutic.  The  day  had  been  remarkably  pleas 
ant,  but  late  in  the  evening  a  southerly  gale  set  in,  which 
drove  the  pack  in  toward  the  ship.  The  newly-formed 
ice,  as  if  endowed  with  life,  rose  into  hummocks  and 
cracked  into  pieces,  which  piled  themselves  on  each  other. 
The  formation  of  hummocks  in  this  way  is  curious  and 
worthy  of  observation.  Under  a  severe  pressure,  an  ex 
panse  of  young  ice  may  not  crack,  but  in  many  places  rise 
up,  as  though  acted  on  by  some  local  force  below,  and 
afterward  break,  leaving  large  slabs  about  the  place  of 
fracture. 

Providence  Berg  afforded  great  protection  to  the  Po 
laris;  but  at  one  time,  during  this  day,  the  ice  pressed  so 
hard  against  her  stem,  as  to  endanger  the  cable  leading 
over  the  bow  to  the  anchor.  The  cable  was  paid  out. 
The  wind  lulled  at  6.15  a.  m.  of  the  15th,  and  the  ice- 
pressure  ceased. 

It  snowed  during  this  day.  The  men  were  employed 
perfecting  the  arrangements  for  the  winter,  and  at  the 


126  A  Surveying  Party. 

1871.  same  time  preparations  were  made  for  a  hunting-party  to 
start  on  the  following  Monday  on  a  long  hunt  for  musk- 
cattle. 

At  9  a.  m.  of  the  16th,  Bryan,  Meyer,  and  Mauch 
started  again  on  a  tramp  to  the  south,  to  complete  the 
work  commenced  on  the  14th. 

They  measured  some  angles  at  the  places  previously 
marked,  eating  their  lunch  under  the  lea  of  a  large  snow 
bank,  while  the  wind  was  blowing  briskly  from  S.  S.W. 

Guided  by  former  experience,  instead  of  crossing  for 
Cape  Tyson  they  directed  their  steps  toward  a  mountain 
farther  east,  with  the  intention  of  following  thence  the 
coast-line  to  the  entrance  of  the  fiord.  They  found  the 
ice  of  the  bay  very  rough,  besides  which  in  some  places 
there  was  considerable  depth  of  snow.  They  began  to 
discover  that  Captain  Hall's  estimate  of  the  distance  of 
the  mountain  was  much  more  accurate  than  their  own. 
After  much  toiling  they  reached  the  shore  at  6  p.  m. 
Ascending  the  plateau  about  forty  feet  above  the  ice,  they 
found  it  was  broken  ground  to  the  base  of  the  mountain, 
distant  about  half  a  mile.  Cape  Tyson  was  still  nearly 
four  miles  off.  It  was  determined  to  end  the  base  line 
here  instead  of  at  the  Cape,  in  order  to  make  the  best  of 
the  remaining  day.  This  base  was  twelve  miles  long  and 
was  sufficient  for  the  protraction  of  the  opposite  coast. 
The  high  wind  gave  them  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  and 


Discouraging  Experiences.  127 

added  to  the  labor  and  difficulty  of  their  work.     On  its     1871. 

September 

completion,  the  party  started  on  a  direct  line  for  the  ship, 
not  taking  into  account  the  effect  of  the  high  wind  upon 
the  ice  in  the  bay. 

Two  of  them,  Bryan  and  Meyer,  wore  Esquimaux 
foot-gear,  being  otherwise  dressed  in  their  ordinary  clothes. 
These  skin  boots  arid  stockings,  besides  keeping  the  feet 
warm,  are  light.  But  Mauch  wore  a  pair  of  cow-hide 
boots,  too  large  for  him,  and  very  heavy.  Darkness  over 
took  them  on  their  way,  increasing  their  difficulties  and 
danger.  They  soon  tired  of  climbing  over  the  hummocks 
and  wading  through  the  snow.  At  such  a  moment  the 
close  quarters  and  other  discomforts  of  life  on  shipboard 
are  forgotten,  and  the  warmth  and  light  of  a  little  cabin 
are  remembered  with  pleasure.  They  could  not  see  the 
ship,  and,  to  judge  of  the  progress  made,  they  occa 
sionally  looked  back  at  the  mountain,  they  were  leav 
ing,  in  hopes  of  seeing  it  grow  lower  and  dimmer.  It 
would  not  leave  them,  but  rose  high  and  drear,  as  plain 
to  the  siffht  as  at  first. 

o 

The  effect  of  this  was  distressing.  Fixing  their  eyes 
on  an  iceberg  ahead  they  determined  not  to  look  back 
until  they  had  passed  it;  they  then  turned  to  see  the 
effect  of  their  progress  on  the  mountain.  Yet  it  still 
seemed  to  stand  above  their  heads  no  less  distinct  in  out 
line,  and  no  less  gloomy  than  before.  There  was  no  get- 


128  A   Cold  Bath. 

1871.  ting  away  from  it.  This  produced  a  state  of  mental 
depression  which  lowered  their  spirit,  and  impaired  their 
strength. 

They  toiled  over  the  dreary  waste  with  mechanical 
effort.  Bryan  and  Meyer,  having  the  advantage  of  light 
foot-gear,  and  perhaps  of  greater  endurance,  advanced 
more  rapidly  than  Mauch.  Fearing  to  leave  him  alone, 
whenever  they  had  lost  sight  of  him,  they  waited  for  him 
to  come  up.  They  had  not  heen  long  upon  the  ice  before 
they  discovered  that  the  wind  had  seriously  affected  its 
condition.  Numerous  cracks  appeared,  to  cross  which  in 
safety  required  the  utmost  care.  To  increase  the  diffi 
culty,  the  wind,  which  continued  to  hlow  very  strong, 
carried  with  it  a  large  quantity  of  light  snow,  making 
the  detection  of  cracks  very  perplexing  by  blinding  the 
sight  or  actually  covering  them  with  the  drift.  Notwith 
standing  all  their  caution,  Meyer  fell  into  a  crack,  but 
extricated  himself  before  the  water  had  reached  much 
above  his  knees.  Not  long  afterward,  Bryan  attempted 
to  leap  over  a  crack,  in  spite  of  Meyer's  warnings  that 
the  opening  was  too  wide  and  the  opposite  side  was  not 
solid.  He  found  himself  up  to  his  shoulders  in  water, 
when,  being  rescued  with  the  assistance  of  Meyer,  he 
crossed  over  at  a  narrower  opening.  They  were  at  this 
time  not  quite  half  way  to  the  ship,  and  the  prospect  of 
remaining  so  long  in  their  rapidly-freezing  clothes  was 


A    Wearisome  Journey.  129 

by  no  means  pleasant.     Mauch  still  lagged  behind,  and     1871. 

September 

again  they  once  or  twice  waited  for  him.  If  remaining 
stationary  was,  before  this,  uncomfortable  on  account  of 
the  cold  and  the  high  wind,  it  now  became  positively 
dangerous  ;  their  wet  state  demanded  that  they  should 
lose  no  time  in  reaching  the  Polaris. 

Mauch  fared  no  better.  He  fell  in  up  to  his  waist; 
and  afterward,  as  he  expresses  it  in  his  journal,  "  was 
compelled  to  take  the  temperature  of  Polaris  Bay  twice 
more."  Finally,  however,  they  all  reached  the  shore, 
which,  on  account  of  the  broken  and  unsafe  condition  of 
the  ice,  they  made  for,  sooner  than  they  would  otherwise 
have  done.  Their  clothing  was  by  this  time  frozen  solid, 
and  their  hands  were  encased  in  mittens  of  ice.  The 
Esquimaux  boots,  being  water-tight,  retained  all  the  water 
entering  them  over  the  tops  which  had  not  been  properly 
secured.  In  walking,  it  rose  and  fell ;  though  by  no 
means  comfortable,  it  was  thus  prevented  from  freezing. 
On  their  reaching  the  land  the  ship  was  still  three  or  four 
miles  distant;  the  remainder  of  the  walk  was  dreary 
enough. 

Satisfied  that  Mauch  could  get  along  very  well  on 
land,  Bryan  and  Meyers  pushed  on  to  the  ship.  Walking 
in  frozen  clothing  is  difficult,  and  this,  added  to  their  wea 
riness,  delayed  them  so  much,  that  it  was  one-half  hour 
after  midnight  when  they  reached  the  vessel.  Captain 


130  Aboard. 

1871.     Hall   had   begun   to   feel    very  anxious,  and  was  about 

September  _ 

organizing  a  relief-party  when  the  two  appeared.  xLager 
inquiries  were  made  for  Mauch.  Morton  and  Herman 
Siemens  at  once  prepared  themselves  and  started  in  search 
of  him.  They  found  him  quite  near  the  vessel,  much  ex 
hausted,  rolling  about  like  a  drunken  man,  and  scarcely 
having  any  consciousness  left. 

The  officers  manifested  much  interest  in  the  accounts 
given  by  the  travelers.  As  soon  as  Bryan  reached  the 
vessel  he  gave  way,  and  did  not  recover  his  consciousness 
until  he  had  been  undressed  and  had  lain  some  time  in  his 
bunk.  Opening  his  eyes,  and  seeing  the  captain  and  sev 
eral  of  the  officers  watching  him,  he  said  very  slowly, 
"  Captain — traveling — in — this — country — is — very — dis 
couraging."  This  remark  was  greeted  by  rounds  of 
laughter,  and  doubtless  his  conclusion  was  fully  justified 
by  his  late  experience.  Probably  the  laugh  was  due  quite 
as  much  to  the  relief  afforded  by  his  return  to  conscious 
ness  as  to  the  aptness  of  the  remark. 

After  divine  service,  Captain  Hall  announced  that  he 
had  appointed  William  Morton  yeoman,  with  J.  B.  Mauch 
as  assistant.  Mauch  had  been  selected  by  Hall,  Septem 
ber  7,  as  his  clerk,  and  had  proved  himself  well  qualified 
for  his  duties.  In  speaking  of  the  approaching  winter, 
Hall  exhorted  the  members  of  the  expedition  to  preserve 
friendly  relations  with  each  other. 


Hunting  Party.  131 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  18th,  a  hunting-party,     1871. 

September 

conducted  by  Mr.  Chester,  left  the  vessel  in  search  of 
musk-oxen.  Dr.  Bessels  accompanied  Mr.  Chester,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  a  geological  exploration  and  of  collect 
ing  specimens  in  natural  history.  The  two  Esquimaux, 
Joe  and  Hans,  were  added  to  the  party  as  dog-drivers 
and  hunters.  A  sled  drawn  by  eight  dogs  carried  the 
tent,  sleeping-bags,  and  provisions  for  seven  days. 

A  fire-hole  was  cut  in  the  ice  near  the  Polaris  for  the 
supply  of  water  in  event  of  fire. 

The  next  day  the  wind  blew  so  high  that  it  was 
found  necessary  to  brace  the  observatory  with  planks. 

The  North  Star  was  seen  on  the  21st,  for  the  first 
time  since  the  establishment  of  winter-quarters.  A  large 
halo  was  observed  encircling  the  sun. 

On  the  23d,  Captain  Hall  extended  the  duties  of  a 
board  which  had  been  previously  appointed  to  make  a  list 
of  the  articles  stored  on  shore,  ordering  them  to  embrace 
in  their  survey  everything  belonging  to  the  expedition. 
The  stores  were  taken  out  of  the  hold,  and,  after  lists  of 
them  were  made,  restored  to  their  places.  An  awning 
had  been  prepared  to  cover  the  deck  of  the  vessel  during 
winter.  The  forward  part  of  this  was  now  put  in  place. 
It  afforded  a  perfect  protection  to  the  deck. 

There  had  been  for  several  weeks  dissatisfaction 
among  the  men  on  account  of  the  quality  of  their  food. 


132  Letter  from  the  Men. 

1871.     On   their   complaint   being   made.   Hall   promised  them 

September 

redress,  and  on  the  next  day  said,  after  morning  service, 
that  a  difference  between  the  forward  and  after  messes 
had  been  made  without  his  knowledge  and  contrary  to  his 
wishes ;  that  it  was  his  desire  that  they  should  all  live 
together  as  brothers  ;  and  that  he  wished  to  have  it  un- 

o 

derstood  that  hereafter  the  same  kind  of  food  should  be 
prepared  for  both  messes. 

This  action  on  the  part  of  Hall  led  to  the  following 
letter : 

"  The  men  forward  desire  publicly  to  tender  their 
thanks  to  Capt.  0.  F.  Hall  for  his  late  kindness,  not,  how 
ever,  that  we  were  suffering  want,  but  for  the  fact  that  it 
manifests  a  disposition  to  treat  [us]  as  reasonable  men, 
possessing  intelligence  to  appreciate  respect  and  yield  it 
only  where  merited ;  and  he  need  never  fear  [but]  that  it 
will  be  our  greatest  pleasure  to  so  live  that  he  can  implic 
itly  rely  on  our  service  in  any  duty  or  emergency. 

"  H.  SIEMENS, 

"  and  others." 

Captain  Hall  was  much  pleased  at  receiving  this  let 
ter  from  the  men,  and  sent  the  following  answer : 

"  Sms:  The  reception  of  your  letter  of  thanks  to  me 
of  this  date  I  acknowledge  with -a  heart  that  deeply  and 
fully  appreciates  the  kindly  spirit  that  has  prompted  you 


Hairs  Reply.  133 

"to  this  act.     1  need  not  assure  you  that  your  commander     1871. 

September 

has  and  ever  will  have  a  lively  interest  in  your  welfare. 
You  have  left  your  home,  friends,  and  country — indeed, 
you  have  bid  farewell  for  a  time  to  the  civilized  world — 
for  the  object  to  aid  me  in  discovering  these  mysterious 
hidden  parts  of  the  earth  ;  therefore,  I  must  and  will  care 
for  you  as  a  prudent  father  cares  for  his  faithful  children. 
"  Your  commander, 

"  C.  F.  HALL." 

At  3.30  p.  m.,  the  hunting-party  returned.  Their 
journey  of  nearly  a  week  had  perhaps  improved  their 
general  health,  but  had  not  added  much  to  their  personal 
appearance.  The  plain  to  the  southeast  had  been  crossed, 
and  an  encampment  made  near  mountains  which  Hall 
named  after  Mr.  Chester.  Their  journey  had  not  ex 
tended  more  than  twenty-five  miles  from  the  ship,  but 
they  had  seen  an  extensive  plain  to  the  northeast,  over 
which  they  would  have  traveled  but  for  the  drift  of  the 
snow,  t/hat  filled  up  hollows  and  left  the  ridges  bare.  One 
of  the  objects  which  Hall  had  in  view  in  sending  out  this 
party  was  to  ascertain  if  there  were  a  feasible  route  for  an 
overland  sledge-journey  toward  the  north.  He  was  pleased 
to  hear  of  this  large  plain,  which  might  afford  the  means  of 
convenient  travel,  but  was  disappointed  on  learning  that 
there  was  not  enough  snow  for  the  sledges.  On  the  sec 
ond  day  out,  one  of  the  natives  had  seen  a  musk-ox  on 


134  Musk-ox  Killed. 

1871.  the  summit  of  a  small  hill  not  far  from  their  tent.  The 
'  dogs,  being  loosed,  soon  brought  the  animal  to  bay,  and 
the  four  hunters  with  a  few  shots  killed  it.  It  was  very 
fat,  the  whole  animal  weighing  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine  pounds.  It  was  the  only  one  seen  during  their  hunt, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  hares,  was  the  only  thing 
killed.  The  musk-ox  had  never  before  been  met  with  on 
the  western  coast  of  Greenland,  although  Dr.  Kane  found 
parts  of  a  skeleton  near  Rensselaer  Harbor.  Many  were 
killed  on  the  eastern  coast  by  the  second  German  expe 
dition  (Koldewey's). 

Captain  Hall  was  anxious  to  make  a  sledge-journey 
before  the  winter  set  in,  for  the  purpose  of  reconnoitering 
and  of  selecting  the  best  route  for  his  great  journey  in 
the  spring  toward  the  Pole.  He  was  very  much  disap 
pointed  to  learn  that  there  was  not  enough  snow  upon  the 
plain  for  sledge-travel,  but  was  determined  to  carry  out 
his  designs,  even  if  he  should  be  compelled  to  go  over  the 
bare  ground.  He  ordered  the  carpenter  to  construct  a 
wagon  for  the  transportation  of  the  necessary  provisions. 
A  ship-carpenter  is  expected  to  be  able  to  manufacture 
anything,  and  accordingly  Mr.  Coffin,  without  hesitation, 
began  to  frame  the  wheels. 

Bryan  and  Meyer  were  continually  engaged  in  the 
survey  of  the  bay  and  its  surroundings,  making  frequent 
and  long  excursions  for  this  purpose. 


Sledge- Journey  Preparations.  135 

On  the  27th.  a  severe  gale  from  the  southwest  drove     1871. 

.     .  September 

the  pack  in  toward  the  vessel  and  cracked  the  young  ice 
about  it.  The  ice  near  the  shore  was  thrown  into  im 
mense  hummocks;  and  large  packs  were  formed  on  either 
side  of  the  ship.  Providence  Berg,  however,  held  its 
ground.  The  young  ice  which  had  formed  around  the  ves 
sel  was  measured,  and  found  to  be  about  sixteen  inches  in 
thickness.  The  pressure  by  the  storm-driven  pack  was  so 
great,  that  the  ice  broke  like  glass. 

On  the  28th,  final  preparations  were  made  for  Captain 
Hall's  proposed  sledge-journey.  The  dogs  were  selected 
and  carefully  fed.  The  Esquimaux  put  the  sled  in  order 
and  examined  the  harness.  The  heavy  snow-storm  pre 
vailing  during  a  part  of  the  27th,  and  during  the  next 
morning,  excited  hopes  that  the  sled  could  be  used.  Those 
who  were  selected  to  accompany  Captain  Hall  were  busy 
making  their  personal  preparations.  Large  knives,  such 
as  are  used  in  cutting  blocks  of  snow  to  make  " igloos" 
(Esquimaux  snow-huts),  were  provided;  suitable  provis 
ions  were  stowed  in  bags,  so  as  to  be  readily  accessible. 
In  this  preparation  the  dogs  were  not  forgotten.  Dupli 
cates  of  perishable  articles  were  also  furnished. 

From  noon  until  3  p.  m.,  the  ice-movements  again 
threatened  the  destruction  of  the  Polaris.  The  high 
spring-tide,  in  connection  with  a  strong  breeze  from  the 
S.  W.,  brought  the  pack  in  against  the  berg  with  great 


136  Tidal' Observations. 

1871.     power.     The  ice  was  piled  up  about  the  vessel  in  all  man- 
September 

ner  of  shapes.     The  berg,  which  had  hitherto  steadfastly 

maintained  its  position,  moved  in  toward  the  shore.  The 
ice  between  it  and  the  vessel  was  broken  by  long  cracks 
and  raised  into  hummocks.  The  pressure  brought  upon 
the  ship  was  very  great,  as  was  apparent  from  the  strain 
upon  her  frame;  and  the  effect  of  this  pressure  was  seen 
in  its  action  upon  the  inside  ice,  masses  of  which  were 
thrown  up  on  the  shore.  It  was  necessary  to  veer  the 
cable.  If  the  vessel  had  not  been  perfectly  strengthened 
and  fitted  for  this  service,  she  would  have  been  crushed. 
When  the  pressure  ceased,  it  was  found  that  the  berg  had 
been  forced  in  toward  the  shore  100  yards,  and  the  ship 
50  yards. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  snow  during  the  next  two 
days;  the  wind  shifted  to  the  north,  and  a  channel  of  wa 
ter  was  formed  between  the  floe  and  the  loose  pack  of 
the  strait,  at  a  distance  of  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile 
from  the  ship. 

On  the  30th,  a  tidal  apparatus,  similar  to  that  used 
by  Dr.  Hayes  at  Port  Foulke,  was  erected  over  the  tire- 
hole,  and  regular  observations  were  commenced. 

After  Divine  service,  October  1st,  Captain  Hall  made 
known  certain  rules  which  he  intended  to  establish. 
They  referred  particularly  to  food,  light,  fuel,  and  exercise. 
Thereafter  only  two  meals  were  to  be  served,  one  at 


Hall  Condemns  Profanity.  137 

9  a.  m.,  the  other  at  3  p.  in.     The  remainder  of  the  rules     IH71. 

October. 

related  to  the  ordinary  routine  of  a  ship. 

An  inspection  of  the  stores  led  to  the  discovery 
that  the  supply  of  oil  was  limited ;  the  idea  of  the  rec 
reation-house  was  therefore  abandoned  and  it  was  taken 
down. 

The  stores  under  the  hill  in  the  snow-drifts  were  car 
ried  to  the  plateau  on  which  the  observatory  stood. 

Some  changes  also  were  made  in  the  lower  cabin, 
enlarging  the  central  space  (or  country,  as  it  is  called), 
making  it  suitable  for  a  dining-room  if  it  should  be  neces 
sary  to  abandon  the  passage. 

The  two  Esquimaux  were  out  hunting  daily,  skirting 
the  edge  of  the  floe,  and  making  every  effort  to  shoot  the 
seals  constantly  seen  in  the  open  water.  They  were  un 
successful  until  the  5th,  when  they  shot  two,  one  of 
which  they  were  able  to  secure.  After  having  observed 
them  closely,  they  were  convinced,  by  the  shyness  of  the 
seals,  that  a  tribe  of  Esquimaux  lived  in  the  neighbor 
hood. 

On  the  6th,  Captain  Hall  said  that  he  had  heard  one 
of  the  men  cursing  another.  Severely  condemning  the 
expressions,  he  issued  an  order  forbidding  all  profane  or 
vulgar  language.  Six  of  the  men,  taking  with  them  the 
small  scow,  so  as  to  be  able  to  secure  the  seals  that  might 
be  shot,  before  they  were  carried  off  by  the  ice,  accompa- 


138 


Heal  Hunting. 


1871.     nied  the  natives  on  their  hunt.     During  the  whole  day 

October. 

one   seal   and   a  white   fox  were   seen,  hoth   of    which 
escaped  uninjured. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


At  morning  prayers  on  the  10th,  Captain  Hall  an-     1871. 
nounced  his  intention  of  starting  that  day  upon  a  sledge- 
journey,  and  in  the  course  of  the  day  he  issued  the  follow 
ing  letter  of  instructions : 

"SiR:  I  am  about  to  proceed  on  a  sledge-journey 
for  the  object  to  determine  how  far  north  the  land  ex 
tends  on  the  east  side  of  the  strait  on  which  the  Polaris 
is  wintering,  and  also  to  prospect  for  a  feasible  inland 
route  to  the  northwest  for  next  spring  sledging  in  my 
attempt  to  reach  the  North  Pole,  this  route  to  be  adopted 
providing  the  ice  of  the  strait  should  be  found  so  hum- 
mocky  that  sledging  over  it  would  be  impracticable ;  and 
furthermore  to  hunt  musk-cattle,  believing  and  knowing. 

O  O" 

as  I  do  from  experience,  that  all  the  fresh  meat  for  use 
of  a  ship's  company  situated  as  is  that  of  the  Polaris, 
should  *be  secured  before  the  long-  Arctic  night  closes 

O  o 

upon  us. 


142  Letter  to  Budington. 

1871.  "  INSTRUCTIONS. 

October. 

"  You  will,  as  soon  as  possible,  have  the  remainder  of 
the  stores  and  provisions  that  are  on  shore  taken  up  on 
to  the  plain  by  the  observatory,  and  placed  with  the 
other  stores  and  provisions  in  as  complete  order  as  pos 
sible.  You  will  have  each  kind  by  itself,  as  near  as  may 
be.  You  will  have  the  ship's  housing  (winter  awning) 
put  up  as  designed. 

"Have  the  night-watch  kept  up  in  accordance  to  my 
winter  instructions  of  September  23d,  with  simply  this 
change,  that  the  watch  is  to  be  continued  until  the  cook 
commences  his  morning  work.  Have  every  light  in  the 
ship  extinguished  at  9b  p.  m.,  except  from  this  hour  a 
candle-light  is  to  be  allowed  forward,  for  the  use  of  the 
watch. 

"You  will  see  that  no  more  coal  is  consumed  in  any 
stove  of  the  ship  than  is  actually  necessary.  I  find  by 
thermometers  placed  in  the  men's  quarters  forward  and 
both  cabins  aft,  that  the  temperature  of  the  air .  is  kept 
far  higher  than  it  should  be,  both  for  economy  in  the 
consumption  of  coal  and  for  the  health  of  the  ship's  com 
pany,  the  thermometer  through  the  day  and  evening 
ranging  from  60°  to  70°;  therefore  you  will  require  no 
more  coal  shall  be  consumed  than  is  necesary  to  keep  the 
thermometer,  forward  and  aft,  at  50°  through  the  day  and 
evening. 


Letter  to  Budington.  143 

"A  very  small  fire  to  be  allowed  forward  to  be  kept     1871. 

October. 

up  from  9b  p.  m.  through  the  night,  but  the  one  aft  to 
be  discontinued  at  9b  p.  m. 

"  Have  the  dogs  well  cared  for,  feeding  them  every 
other  day.  Look  out  some  good  warm  place  in  the  ship 
for  the  puppies,  and  have  them  well  nursed. 

"Have  Mr.  Morion  get  and  open  one  can  of  pemican, 
and  deal  that  out  economically  to  the  puppies.  I  have 
great  hope  of  securing  many  musk-cattle  on  my  sledge- 
journey,  and  then  we  can  spare  much  of  our  ship's  pro 
vision  to  the  dogs. 

"Should  any  such  calamity  be  in  store  for  the  Po 
laris  (which  I  pray  God  may  not  be)  that  a  storm  from 
the  northward  should  drive  the  ice  out  of  Thank-God 
Harbor  and  the  Polaris  with  it  during  the  coming  spring 
tides,  then  have  steam  gotten  up  as  quickly  as  possible  and 
lose  no  time  in  getting  the  vessel  back  to  her  former  posi 
tion.  But  should  the  Polaris  be  driven  into  the  moving 
pack-ice  of  the  strait,  and  there  become  beset,  and  you 
should  not  be  able  to  get  her  released,  then,  unfortunately, 
the  vessel  and  all  on  board  must  go  to  the  southwest, 
drifting  with  the  pack;  God  only  knowing  where  and 
when,  you  and  the  ship's  company  would  find  means  to 
escape.  It  might  in  this  case  be  that  such  a  drift  move 
ment  would  occur  as  in  the  case  of  the  United  States 
Grinnell  Expedition  of  1851-52,  and  of  the  Fox,  under 


144  Letter  to  Budington. 

1871.     "McClintock,  in  1857-58;  but  whenever  you  should  get 

October. 

released,  if  anywhere  between  Cape  Alexander  and  Cape 
York,  or  between  the  latter  and  the  Arctic  circle,  you  will 
then  make  your  way  to  Godhavn,  Disco  Island,  and  if 
the  Polaris  remains  seaworthy,  you  will  fill  her  up  with 
coal,  stores,  and  provisions,  and  next  fall  (of  1872)  steam 
back  to  this  place.  Tf  the  vessel  should  become  a  wreck, 
or  disabled  from  the  imminent  exposure  and  dangers  of 
such  an  ice-drift  as  referred  to,  then  all  possible  use  of 
your  best  judgment  must  be  brought  into  play  for  the 
preservation  of  the  lives  of  all  belonging  to  the  expedition. 
"You  would,  at  your  earliest  moment  of  escape, 
acquaint  the  Government  of  the  United  States  with  the 
whole  of  the  circumstances,  and  should  one  of  those  cir 
cumstances  be  the  loss  of  the  Polaris,  I  and  my  small 
party,  that  is  about  to  accompany  me  on  the  proposed 
sledge-journey,  would  remain  here  to  make  discoveries  to 
the  North  Pole,  using  Thank-God  Harbor  as  our  head- 

o 

quarters,  and  all  the  time  feel  certain  that  our-  country 
would  lose  no  time  in  sending  us  aid,  in  carrying  out  the 
great  object  of  the  present  expedition. 

"Although  I  feel  almost  certain  that  the  Polaris  is 
safely  lodged  in  her  winter  position,  yet  we  know  not 
what  a  storm  may  quickly  bring  forth.  A  full  storm  from 
the  south  can  send  the  pack  of  the  strait  infringing  upon 
the  land  pack,  in  the  midst  of  which  we  are,  and  in  a  few 


Letter  to  Budington.  145 

"moments  cast  the  Polaris  high  and  dry  on  the  land.     Dur-     1871. 

.  October. 

ing  the  spring -tides  let  great  vigilance  be  exercised, 
especially  during  any  gale  or  storm  at  the  time  of  high 
tides. 

"As  soon  as  time  will  allow,  have  snow-blocks  cut 
from  the  drift  under  the  lee  of  the  hill  by  the  observatory 
and  sledged  over  to  the  Polaris,  the  same  to  be  placed 
about  her  as  an  embankment. 

"You  will  have  plank  and  boxes  so  placed  under  the 
poop  that  the  dogs  cannot  get  to  the  raw-hide  wheel- 
ropes. 

"  The  usual  routine  of  the  ship  that  I  have  established 
will  be  gone  through  with,  daily,  during  my  absence.  You 
will  see  that  this  is  carried  out,  including  church-service 
on  each  Sabbath. 

"The  duties  that  devolve  upon  Mr.  Morton  by  my 
appointment  are  those  of  paymaster  and  yeoman.  He 
has  full  charge,  under  my  directions,  of  all  the  accounts, 
stores,  and  provisions  on  board  the  Polaris  and  on  shore 
belonging  to  the  United  States.  Whatever  relates  to  the 
consumption  and  use  of  said  stores  and  provisions,  Mr. 
Morton  has  charge  of,  and  will  be  made  responsible  for 
the  same.  I  am  sure  this  trust  that  I  have  committed  to 
Mr.  Morton  will  be  carried  out  with  fidelity  and  to  the 
best  advantage  of  the  United  States  Government  and  this, 

<_3  ' 

its  North  Polar  Expedition. 
10 


146  Letter  to  Budington. 

1871.  "All  the  fuel,  kindling,  and  coal,  before  being  used, 

must  pass  through  the  hands  of  Noah  Hayes,  who  must 
keep  an  exact  account  of  the  same,  which  he  must  render 
to  Mr.  Morton,  or  he  may  render  the  account  to  the  chief 
engineer,  and  the  latter  to  Mr.  Morton. 

"No  box,  barrel,  package,  or  anything  else  con 
taining  stores  or  provisions  belonging  to  the  Polaris 
must  be  opened,  but  by  Mr.  Morton.  This  as  well  as 
all  other  orders  that  I  have  issued,  you  will  have  carried 
out. 

"You  will  keep  a  journal  of  all  proceedings  during 
my  absence,  and  transmit  the  same  to  me  on  my  return. 
You  will  not  omit  to  note  such  violations  of  orders  that 
are  or  may  be  given,  and  by  whom  they  are  made ; 
neither  will  you  omit  to  note  the  meritorious  conduct  of 
any  or  all. 

"Hoping  that  God  will  protect  you  in  the  discharge 
of  the  high  duties  which  devolve  upon  you,  I  bid  you 
adieu  and  all  those  of  my  command,  trusting  oh  my  re 
turn  to  tind  'All's  Well;'  and  trusting,  too,  that  I  shall  be 
able  to  say  that  my  sledge-journey,  under  the  protection 
and  guidance  of  Heaven,  has  been  a  complete  success, 
not  only  in  having  made  a  higher  northing,  a  nearer 
approach  to  the  North  Pole  than  ever  white  man  before, 
but  that  a  practicable  inland  sledge-route  far  north  has 


The  Departure.  147 

"been  found,  and  many  musk-cattle  have  been  seen  and     1871. 

October. 

captured. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be,  your  obedient  servant,  and 
respectfully, 

"0.  F.  HALL, 
"  Commanding  U.  S.  North  Polar  Expedition. 

"To  S.  0.  BUDINGTON, 

''Sailing  and  Ice  Master, 

"U.  S.  North  Polar  Expedition. 
" THANK-GOD  HAEBOE  (latitude  81°  38' north;  lon 
gitude  61°  44'  west),  October  10,  1871." 

The  persons  selected  by  Captain  Hall  to  accompany 
him  were  Mr.  Chester,  Joe,  and  Hans.  The  start  was 
made  at  1  p.  m.  The  one  sled  was  heavily  loaded,  and 
although  the  team  was  a  large  one  consisting  of  twelve 
or  fourteen  dogs,  it  was  necessary  to  obtain  the  assistance 
of  the  men  who  were  working  among  the  stores  on  shore 
to  pull  the  sled  up  the  hill  and  through  the  deep  snow  for 
a  distance  of  about  a  half  of  a  mile.  At  the  separation, 
three  hearty  cheers  were  exchanged.  The  next  morning 
Hans  returned  to  the  ship  for  another  sled,  more  dogs, 
and  a  few  small  things  that  had  been  forgotten.  Hall 
had  found  the  traveling  very  heavy,  and  had  not  been 
able  to  make  a  distance  of  more  than  five  miles.  They 
waited  in  an  igloo  for  Hans's  return. 

On  board  ship,  during  the  next  few  days,  all  hands 


148  Procuring    Water. 

were  set  busily  to  work  preparing  for  winter.  The 
awning  wras  housed — that  is,  it  was  stretched  so  as  to 
cover  the  whole  deck — and  snow-blocks  were  cut  to 
make  a  wall  around  the  hull.  The  water  in  the  tanks 
having  been  used,  recourse  was  had  to  ice.  Some  of  the 

o  ' 

small  pieces  in  the  harbor  were  fresh-water  ice,  but  the 
chief  supply  came  from  Providence  Berg,  which  was  only 
about  three  hundred  yards  from  the  vessel ;  the  labor  of 
sledding  the  ice  from  it  was  not  great. 

o  ~ 

The  engineers  attempted  to  make  some  arrangement 
about  the  galley-pipe  for  melting  ice,  but  were  unsuccess 
ful.  Experience  showed,  however,  that  an  ample  supply 
of  wrater  could  be  obtained  by  the  use  of  temporary 
boilers  on  the  galley  and  the  heating-stoves. 

At  meridian  of  the  16th,  the  upper  limb  of  the  sun 
was  seen  for  a  short  time  above  the  tops  of  the  moun 
tains  ;  the  next  day  it  did  not  appear.  The  mountains 
had  an  elevation  of  about  If  degrees.  The  long  Arctic 
night  had  commenced ;  for  one  hundred  and  thirty-two 
days  they  w^ould  look  in  vain  for  the  return  of  the  sun. 

Hitherto,  the  strait  seen  from  the  shore  had  continued 
open,  the  heavy  iioes  moving  up  and  down  under  the 
influence  of  the  winds  and  currents.  For  a  few  days 
previous  to  the  23d,  very  severe  winds  prevailed  from  the 
north,  driving  the  ice  off  from  the  land  and  leaving  quite 
a  large  expanse  of  open  water.  At  times  this  was  cov- 


Their  Return.  149 

erccl  by  a  dense  water-cloud  or  frost-smoke,  concealing     1871. 

.          .  October. 

the  opposite  snore,  and  rendering  it  impossible  to  see  the 
ice  in  the  strait,  or  to  determine  the  breadth  of  the  open- 
water  space.  The  temperature  had  varied  from  a  few 
degrees  above  zero  to  eighteen  below. 

O  O 

At  1.30  p.  m.,  on  the  24th,  the  sledge-party  was 
discovered  making  its  way  over  the  plain,  on  its  return, 
and  at  2  p.  m.  it  reached  the  vessel.  Captain  Hall  and 
his  companion  were  at  once  surrounded  by  a  group  of 
cheerful  faces  anxious  to  hear  the  news. 

The  principal  circumstances  were  soon  communi 
cated.  They  were  all  well,  and  had  been  well  during 
their  two  weeks'  absence,  excepting  Captain  Hall,  who 
had  complained  that  he  did  not  have  his  wonted  vigor 
and  endurance ;  and  during  the  last  three  days  had  not 
been  feeling  at  all  well.  He  had  frequently,  during  the 
journey,  expressed  his  surprise  that  he  was  not  able  to 
run  before  the  sleds  and  encourage  the  dogs,  as  on  former 
expeditions,. but  had  been  compelled  to  keep  on  the  sled. 

Although  the  Esquimaux  had  fired  at  several  seals, 
they  had  been  without  success  in  securing  them.  Traces 
of  musk-cattle,  of  foxes,  and  of  lemming,  together  with 
an  owl  and  a  few  hawks,  had  been  seen.  A  large  litter 
of  pups  had  been  devoured  by  the  dog-team  as  soon  as 
born.  The  party  had  slept  every  night  in  snow-houses 
erected  at  different  places,  in  one  of  which  they  had 


150  Incidents. 

1871.  passed  a  whole  day  on  account  of  the  severity  of  the  wind 
and  the  blinding  force  of  the  drifting  snow.  Once  they 
had  narrowly  escaped  suffocation.  The  four  had  entered 
their  snow-house  for  the  night,  and  according  to  custom 
had  securely  fastened  up  the  entrance  by  a  large  block  of 
snow.  They  had  neglected  to  make  a  hole  for  ventilation, 
and  the  igloo  being  very  well  built,  was  perfectly  air-tight. 
The  kerosene  lamp  and  candle  having  gone  out,  an  attempt 
was  made  to  relight  the  latter  for  Captain  Hall  to  work  up 
his  reckonings,  but  the  matches  went  out  immediately 
upon  being  struck.  Captain  Hall's  attention  was  called 
to  this  strange  fact ;  and  while  trying  to  account  for  it, 
he  began  to  feel  the  suffocating  effects  of  the  deoxygen- 
ated  air,  and  called  out  "Kick  down  the  door."  Joe  at 
once  obeyed. 

These  details  of  adventure  were  listened  to  with 
breathless  attention  by  their  companions,  whose  life  for 
the  past  month  had  been  very  uniform;  anything  new 
and  stirring  was  greatly  relished.  Little  rest  was  allowed 
the  sled-party  until  everything  connected  with  their 
journey  had  been  told  and  retold  and  fully  discussed. 

Their  history  told  in  full  ran  as  follows.  Leaving, 
on  the  12th,  their  first  snow- house  about  five  miles  from 
the  vessel,  beyond  Lookout  Mountain,  they  traveled  over 
the  plain  to  the  northeast,  keeping  along  the  foot  of  the 
mountain-range  which  guards  it  on  the  north.  They  found 


TRACK  OF  HALLS  LAST  SLEDGE  JOURNEY 


Obsei-vatory 

I5tartts.0tt.70.  iM.M 

rned.  24.  2?  2o-rr.f 


S9'oo' 


Last  sight  of  the  Sun.  151 

the  snow  very  deep,  and  encamped  at  night  near  a  remark-     1871. 

.  October. 

able  hill  which  rose  abruptly  and  stood  alone.  Captain 
Hall  thought,  and  no  doubt  correctly,  that  this  plain  once 
formed  the  bed  of  a  river,  the  hill  at  that  time  being  an 
island ;  he  named  it  the  Inland  Monument  or  Island.  At 
noon  of  the  13th,  about  one-quarter  of  the  sun's  disk  ap 
peared  above  the  glacier  which  covered,  the  mountains  to 
the  south.  As  the  few  rays  of  the  sun  fell  upon  the  ice 
between  two  mountains  a  beautiful  phenomenon  was  wit 
nessed:  the  parhelia  glowing  with  the  colors  of  the  rain 
bow.  From  the  sun  rose  a  vertical  column  of  red  rays  to 
a  height  of  15°.  This  was  the  last  look  of  the  sun, — not 
again  to  be  seen  for  four  months;  it  was  the  final  ray 
thrown  back  by  the  luminary  upon  the  lamented  Hall, 
seeming  to  leave  with  him  a  parting  benediction. 

At  1.30  p.m.,  a  small  lake  was  discovered,  from  which 
ran  an  icy  river  in  the  direction  in  which  they  were  going. 
As  the  traveling  upon  its  smooth  surface  was  good, 
they  resolved  to  follow  it,  and  soon  found  themselves 
wandering  in  the  irregular  sinuosities  of  a  ravine.  Fol 
lowing  the  course  of  the  river  for  about  one  hour,  they 
encamped  upon  it  for  the  night.  Hans  cut  a  hole  through 
the  ice  and  found  water,  which  was  a  source  of  satisfaction, 
since  much  time  arid  fuel  were  saved  by  their  not  being 
compelled  to  melt  ice  or  snow. 

On  the  14th,  just  as  they  were  about  to  breakfast, 


152  A   Good  Supper. 

1871.  an  accident  happened  which  put  an  end  to  their  immedi 
ate  progress.  Mr.  Chester,  in  taking  the  kettle  of  boiling 
coffee  from  the  little  stove,  or  conjurer,  as  it  was  called, 
found  the  iron  handles  too  hot  and  dropped  it.  Portions  of 
the  contents  were  dashed  into  his  face,  scalding  him  very 
severely.  Prompt  applications  of  "cosmoline"  brought 
immediate  relief. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  Hall's  journal, 
written  on  this  journey  after  having  retired  in  the  snow- 
house  for  the  night: 

"We  have  just  finished  our  supper,  or  tea — a  two- 
pound  can  of  preserved  meat  and  vegetables,  hard  bread, 
and  raw  pemmican — and  now  feel  just  as  well  as  though 
we  had  been  feasted  by  a  New  York  City  Alderman. 
Our  standard  provision  is  raw  pemmican,  the  most  con 
densed  and  most  nutritious  of  all  food.  The  pemmican 
we  have  is  the  very  best  I  ever  ate;  indeed,  I  believe 
none  was  ever  made  by  a  more  honest  hand  than  the  hand 
that  made  this,  Mr.  Marshall  P.  Smith  of  Baltimore,  who 
is  president  of  the  National  Preserving  Food  Company 
of  Baltimore.  Ten  thousand  pounds  did  he  supply  to 
the  Government  for  the  North  Polar  Expedition. 

"This  afternoon  I  took  a  walk  down  the  river,  to  see 
if  it  was  feasible  for  us  to  follow  it ;  after  keeping  along 
its  course  for  a  little  over  a  mile  I  ascended  its  right  bank, 
or  eastern  side,  and  then  also  ascended  the  hills  along  its 


Desolation.  153 

"border,  and  from  the  summit  of  these  I  could  see  the     1871. 

October. 

course  for  two  miles  farther,  the  general  direction  being 
about  northeast.  I  then  walked  a  little  way  inland,  away 
from  the  river-bank,  taking  sharp  looks  for  musk-cattle. 
My  view  was  quite  extensive,  but  I  was  not  fortunate  in 
seeing  any.  The  banks  of  the  river  are  very  much 
broken  and  irregular,  but  in  many  places  cliffy.  The  cliffs 
are  found  twenty-five  to  seventy-five  feet  high,  and  are 
composed  of  mud — frozen  mud.  The  nature  of  the  land 
has  the  appearance  of  drift-shingle  schistose.  Lime  and 
slate  predominate.  I  found  one  large  bowlder  of  gneiss, 
which,  of  course,  is  erratic.  Most  of  the  stones  are  round 
ed,  as  if  sea-washed.  Now  and  then  pebbles  of  granite 
are  found,  which,  of  course,  like  the  gneiss,  do  not  belong 
here.  There  is  not  a  sign  of  vegetation  on  these  hills, 
save  now  and  then  a  bit  or  tuft  of  grass.  Looking  to  the 
eastward,  I  am  inclined  to  think  an  extensive  level  country 
is  there.  It  may  be  that  there  we  might  fall  in  with 
musk-cattle,  for  on  the  plains  considerable  grass  and  other 
vegetation  abound,  as  we  have  seen  on  the  plains  we  have 
passed  over  in  getting  here.  Luxurious  lichens  are  to  be 
seen  on  rocks  here  and  there." 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  15th,  Hall  encamped  in 
sight  of  what  proved  to  be  a  bay.  The  ice  covering  it 
was,  as  far  as  he  could  see,  smooth,  broken  only  by  a  few 
icebergs.  Reaching  the  bay  the  next  morning,  he  di- 


154  Prayers. 

1871.  rected  his  course  northerly  toward  its  mouth.  The  snow 
upon  the  surface  of  the  ice  was  only  four  inches  deep,  hut 
owing  to  its  having  a  thin  crust  upon  it,  which  broke  un 
der  the  weight  of  the  dogs  and  sledges,  the  traveling  was 
as  difficult  as  if  the  snow  had  been  soft  and  much  deeper. 
The  feet  of  the  dogs  became  very  sore,  and  they  were 
unable  to  travel  very  fast. 

The  fifth  encampment  was  made  on  the  southern 
coast  of  the  bay.  Here,  not  being  able  to  obtain  any 
fresh-water  ice,  he  chose,  in  preference  to  snow,  some  old 
sea- ice,  which  by  age  had  lost  its  salt. 

On  the  morning  of  the  17th,  Captain  Hall  made  the 
following  record :  "  This  morning  read  prayers ;  the 
beautiful  and  appropriate  one  of  Dr.  Newman's,  designed 
for  the  use  of  sledge-parties  while  away  from  the  ship, 
traveling  toward  the  North  Pole.  All  listened  to  its  im 
pressive  sentiments."  Dr.  Newman,  at  the  request  of 
Captain  Hall,  had  prepared  three  prayers  for  use  on  the 
expedition,  which  were  printed  in  small  books,  for  .circula 
tion  among  the  men.  These  forms  were  frequently  used 
at  divine  service  on  Sundays  and  at  daily  morning 
prayers.  Becoming  dissatisfied  with  that  arrangement,  and 
thinking  that  no  exact  form  of  words  could  express  the 
particular  wants  and  desires  of  each  occasion,  and  that  the 
men  did  not  take  much  interest  in  the  exercise  when  they 
knew  exactly  what  would  be  said,  Captain  Hall  had  per- 


Obstacles.  155 

suaded  Mr.  Bryan  to  offer  extemporaneous  prayer.     He     1871. 

Octofoci* 

favored  also  extemporaneous  speaking,  and  had  frequently 
said  that  before  the  winter  was  over  the  written  sermons 
must  be  laid  aside,  and  the  Sunday  discourse  be  delivered 
without  notes. 

.  The  traveling  was  very  good  on  the  17th,  and  fair 
progress  wras  made.  An  attempt  to  reach  the  cape  at  the 
northern  entrance  of  the  bay  was  begun ;  but  when 
within  a  half  mile  of  it  open  water  was  met,  which  ren 
dered  a  stop  necessary.  So  many  icebergs  had  been 
stranded  here  that  it  was  impossible  to  advance  with 
the  sled ;  it  was  determined  to  make  the  sixth  encamp 
ment.  Captain  Hall  in  his  journal  says :  "The  pack 
fills  the  straits  to  which  we  have  arrived,  and  is  on 
the  move,  impinging  on  both  the  south  and  north 
capes  of  our  bay,  and  thus  we  are  prevented  extend 
ing  our  sledge-journey  along  on  the  shore-ice,  as  I  had 
hoped  to  be  able  to  do.  Obstacles  have  come  and  may 
continue  to  come,  but  they  must  be  surmounted.  Skirt 
ing  the  shore  toward  the  North  Bluff  Cape  are  high, 
irregular,  broken  hills  of  shingle,  which  have  been 
formed  by  the  pack-fields  of  the  straits  pressing  ice 
bergs  on  shore,  which,  on  grounding,  turn  up  the  sea 
bottom." 

The  open  water  occupied  a  small  space  at  the  mouth 
of  the  bay,  and  many  seals  were  seen.     The  fast  ice  of 


156  Sealing. 

1871.  the  bay  ended  in  a  curve  from  cape  to  cape,  with  its  con 
cave  side  toward  Robeson  Strait. 

The  drifting  masses  in  the  channel  swept  past  the 
opening,  a  few  small  pieces  only  entering  the  bay.  Joe 
and  Hans  lost  no  time,  after  the  igloo  had  been  con 
structed,  in  going  to  the  water's  edge  with  their  rifles  to 
secure,  if  possible,  some  of  the  seals.  Hiding  behind  ice 
bergs  and  hummocks,  they  soon  had  opportunities  for 
shooting.  They  killed  several,  but  were  unable  to  secure 
the  bodies;  the  eddying  current  carried  them  away. 
With  kyaks,  many  might  have  been  taken. 

On  the  18th,  Captain  Hall,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Chester  and  the  Newfoundland  dog  Wolf,  walked  to  the 
top  of  the  cape.  The  incidents  of  the  trip  will  be  given 
in  his  own  language:  "Starting  from  the  encampment  at 
9  a.  m.,  we  followed  a  gorge,  having  a  general  N.  N.  E. 
direction,  for  half  a  mile,  and  then,  turning  to  the  left,  as 
cended  its  side.  This  was  the  first  place  met  where  it  was 
possible  to  make  the  ascent.  On  the  summit  was  a  huge 
old  bowlder,  12  feet  high,  which,  before  the  fractured  end 
had  been  severed  from  the  parent  rock,  measured  25  feet 
in  length.  On  the  sides  and  top  of  this  mass  of  limestone 
lichens  abounded.  Upon  our  arrival  at  the  cape,  I  pro 
ceeded  to  take  bearings.  As  it  was  evident  that  consider 
able  time  would  be  consumed  in  making  these  observa 
tions,  I  allowed  Chester  to  take  a  walk  by  himself,  sup- 


Hall's  Highest  Point  on   Land.  157 

"posing  that  he  would  soon  return.  I  found  that  I  had  1871. 
undertaken  a  more  difficult  task  than  I  had  anticipated. 
There  was  a  smart  breeze  from  up  the  bay,  and  as  I 
stood  in  an  exposed  position,  it  was  cuttingly  cold.  When 
I  had  completed  my  work,  I  looked  eagerly  around  for  Mr. 
Chester.  Where  was  he?  My  shouting,  screaming,  roar 
ing,  met  with  no  response.  I  became  greatly  alarmed, 
thinking  that  he  might  have  fallen  down  and  by  a  mishap 
struck  his  long  snow-knife  into  his  side.  I  was  able  to 
track  him  by  the  occasional  patches  of  snow  down  into  a 
deep  ravine.  Losing  his  tracks,  I  followed  the  ravine, 
still  searching,  until  it  made  a  deep  plunge.  I  started  to 
return,  and,  on  my  way,  found  a  rock  full  of  fossils,  coral 
being  one  of  them.  While  engaged  in  examining  these,  I 
heard  Chester  shout,  and,  looking  about,  saw  him  and 
dog  Wolf  on  the  opposite — that  is,  the  north — side  of  the 
ravine.  As  in  that  direction  lay  a  high  mountain  which 
I  wished  to  ascend,  I  retraced  my  steps  and  made  my 
way  out  of  the  ravine  at  the  first  accessible  place  I  met. 
We  then  moved  on  toward  our  point  of  destination.  We 
were  soon  obliged  to  cross  another  ravine,  and,  upon 
reaching  the  summit  of  one  hill,  we  found  that  a  still 
higher  one  arose  beyond  us.  We  persevered,  however, 
and  finally  reached  the  highest  point  of  all.  On  our  way, 
grass  and  various  species  of  flowering  plants  were  seen, 
and  they  abounded  even  up  to  the  mountain's  top." 


158  The   View  to  the  North. 

1871.  Reaching  the  summit,  they  had  an  extended  view  of 

the  channel  and  the  land  on  either  side.  The  former  was 
covered  with  ice,  which,  from  Hall's  elevation,  did  not 
look  very  rough.  He  entertained  the  idea  that  the  snow, 
falling  during  the  winter,  would  drift  among  the  hum- 

o  o  <— ' 

mocks,  and,  filling  up  all  the  crevices,  would  harden, 
and  afford  by  spring  a  smooth  surface  for  sledge-travel. 
The  land  on  the  west  side  of  the  channel  ran  to  the 
north  and  east  until  it  appeared  to  end  in  a  cape,  nearly 
due  north,  distant  about  sixty  or  seventy  miles.  It  then 
turned  to  the  west  very  abruptly.  The  east  coast  ran  to 
the  northeast  for  about  ten  or  twelve  miles,  when  it  turned 
to  the  east  and  disappeared.  A  cloud  w^as  seen  extending 
across  the  straits,  far  away  to  the  north  and  east,  similar 
to  that  observed  from  the  vessel  when  near  her  highest 

CD 

latitude.  Hall  could  not  determine  whether  it  was  a  water- 
cloud  or  the  loom  of  land.  It  was  broken  in  several 
places,  indicating  a  prominent  headland  with  islands 
around  it.  After  a  walk,  made  interesting  by  geological 
observations,  the  party  arrived  at  their  snow-house  at 
4.35  p.  m. 

The  next  day  Captain  Hall,  following  the  shore-line, 
rounded  the  cape,  but  was  unable  to  go  very  far,  as  its 
perpendicular  sides  were  encroached  upon  by  a  moving 
floe.  He  spent  much  time  in  surveying  and  examining 
the  surrounding  country,  and  finally  came  to  the  conclu- 


End  of  the  Journey.  159 

sion  that  he  had  reached  the  end  of  his  journey.     The     1871. 
land  which  lay  to  the  north  and  east  of  the  bay  was 
high  and  little  adapted  for  sledge-travel,  on  account  of 
deep  ravines  and  gulches.     It  was  also  almost  entirely 

bare  of  snow.     The  ice  in  the  straits  was  still  moving  and 

~ 

was  hummocky,  making  it  unfit  for  sledge-traveling. 
The  ice-foot  bordering  on  the  straits,  often  used  for  travel, 
did  not  afford  Hall  the  means  of  extending  his  journey. 
It  was  in  some  places  entirely  worn  away;  in  others  it 
was  covered  with  hummocks.  Before  starting  on  his 

o 

walk  Hall  had  made  some  careful  measurements  of  the 
altitude  of  Jupiter  when  near  the  meridian,  from  which 
the  latitude  of  this  sixth  and  last  encampment  was  ascer 
tained  to  be  82°  00'  30"  K 

On  the  20th,  it  was  his  intention  to  start  on  his  return 
to  the  Polaris,  but  he  was  induced  to  remain,  by  the 
Esquimaux  who  predicted  a  violent  storm.  These  pre 
dictions  were  strengthened  by  the  falling  barometer,  the 
lowering  sky,  and  the  "storm-roar  upon  the  mountains." 

At  8  a.  m.,  he  started  out  for  a  walk,  and  made  fur 
ther  examinations  into  the  formation  of  the  long  ridges  of 
hillocks  of  shingle  that  fringed  the  beach.  He  was  soon 
compelled  to  retrace  his  steps,  for  at  9.30,  the  storm  broke 
upon  him  in  all  its  fury.  The  bay  in  which  the  party 
were  compelled  to  remain  storm-bound  in  their  snow- 
house  has  a  general  direction  from  northwest  to  southeast, 


160  A  Dull  Day. 

1871.  extends  for  about  forty  miles  into  the  interior,  and  varies 
in  width  from  three  to  eight  miles.  Captain  Hall  named 
it  " Newman's  Bay,"  after  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Newman,  D.  I)., 
of  Washington,  D.  C.  The  cape  at  the  base  of  which  the 
camp  was  located  was  called  "Cape  Brevoort,"  after  Mr. 
J.  Carson  Brevoort,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  "a  strong  per 
sonal  and  Arctic  friend."  The  cape  at  the  southern  en 
trance  received  the  name  of  "Simmer  Headland,"  as  a 
slight  token  of  Hall's  appreciation  of  the  effective  support 
received  from  the  distinguished  Senator. 

The  following  is  copied  from  the  notes  made  by 
Hall  in  the  evening  of  this  day  : 

"  This  has  been  as  dull  a  day  with  us  as  one  might 
expect.  Joe  took  his  rifle  a  little  past  meridian  and 
went  out  to  the  N.  E.  to  hunt  for  musk-cattle.  He 
bundled  up  as  well  as  he  could  that  he  might  be  well  pro 
tected  against  the  storm.  At  the  same  time  Hans,  with 
his  gun,  went  to  the  open  water  to  try  and  shoot  some 
seals.  Both  hunters  returned  at  3  p.  m.  Joe  saw  no 
game,  while  Hans  saw  three  seals  arid  made  a  shot  at  one 
but  did  not  kill  it.  As  for  myself,  I  have  been  out  now 
and  then  looking  around  seeking  specimens  of  plants,  and 
trying,  as  I  have  often  done  before,  to  find  something  of 
a  coal  character.  I  am  deeply  anxious  to  find  coal  in 
this  country,  as  this  mineral  would  contribute  largely  to 
our  success  in  getting  the  Polaris  to  a  far  higher  latitude 


Looking  for  Coal.  161 

"next  season.    Wherever  one  goes  here  he  finds  specimens     1871. 

October. 

of  stones  that  look  like  coal,  but  on  close  trial  it  proves  to 
be  slate-stone.  This  p.  m.,  with  my  snow-knife,  in  a  few 
minutes,  I  dug  my  large  seal-skin  mittens  full  of  a  small 
plant  that  is  quite  abundant  here  and  about  Polaris  Bay ; 
a  plant  not  exactly  'Andromeda  tetragons,'  but  perhaps 
of  that  family.  I  brought  what  I  had  gathered  to  the 
encampment  to  make  a  trial  of  it  as  fuel,  but.  from  the 
fact  that  it  was  all  full  of  frost,  it  could  not  be  coaxed  to 
burn.  I  think  if  this  plant  were  gathered  in  the  fall  and 
dried  it  would  make  fuel.  Any  way,  if  our  sealers  are 
successful  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  next  year  (1872), 
the  oil  of  the  seals  can  he  turned  to  excellent  account  by 
saturating  the  plant  I  have  just  alluded  to  in  the  oil,  and 
thus  a  capital  combination-fuel  for  steam-generating  on 
the  Polaris  will  be  formed.  While  gathering  these  plants 
1  found  the  full  stand-droppings  of  a  musk-ox.  They  are 
like  those  of  the  reindeer,  except  the  balls  are  larger — the 
size  of  bullets  16  to  a  pound.  Generally  the  traces  of 
musk-cattle  are  in  mass — like  balls  all  melted  together.  I 
gathered  a  handful  of  them  and  brought  them  to  the  snow- 
hut.  I  found  that  on  crushing  one  it  was  completely 
dry,  and  that  it  expanded  to  almost  double  its  original  size. 
It  struck  me  it  would  make  capital  wicking  for  Esquimaux 
lamps.  I  saturated  the  crushed  mass  with  melted  tallow, 

and  I  found,  as  I  expected,  the  substance  made  excellent 
11 


162 


The  Cairn, 


1871. 

October. 


"  wicking.  Mr.  Chester  has  been  busy  first  at  one  kind  of 
work  and  then  of  another — anything  to  keep  himself  oc 
cupied.  He  has  voluntarily  taken  upon  himself  the  work 
of  cook  for  myself  and  party,  which  extra  work  he  does 
most  cheerfully  and  exceedingly  well." 

Hall,  having  written  a  dispatch  to  the  Hon.  Secre 
tary  of  the  Navy  and  carefully  deposited  it  on  the  land, 
thus  describes  the  place  of  its  deposit : 

"  9.40  a.  m.,  complete  the  cairn  and  deposit  the  doc 
ument  The  monument,  two  feet  high  and  two  and  one- 
half  feet  at  its  base,  is  on  the  brow  of  the  second  plain 
from  the  sea,  about  fifty  feet  above  its  level. 


"13.  Buried  cylinder. 

"0.  Condensed-milk  canister  filled  with  sand. 
"D.  Two-pound  meat-can. 
"E.  Small  water-trench. 
"  A.  Cairn. 

"10  F.  E.  This  stone  of  slate  placed  at  A.  in  the 
;  ground,  face  up,  close  to  the  one  above,  which  is  vertical. 


"Fog  and 

indistinct 

light. 


Cape  Brevoort  (N.  50°  E.)? 
Sixth   encampment,  distant  43   of  my 
measures.     (N.  15°  E.) 


The  Cylinder.  163 

"  Chester,  at  my  suggestion,  took  one  of  the  boards  of     1871. 

October. 

the  twenty-eight  pound  wooden  box,  that  I  ordered  to  be 
taken  apart  last  evening,  (a  couple  pounds  of  which  we 
used  last  night  in  making  scouse,*  and  six  quarts  of  extra 
water)  and  with  his  knife  cut  in  bold  letters  10  F.  E.  (feet 
east),  and  this  and  thirteen  other  pieces  of  that  box  were 
scattered  about  the  cairn.  It  was  not  without  difficulty  that 
we  found  stones  of  sufficient  size  and  number  with  which 
to  build  this  small  pillar.  Joe  dug  the  hollow  in  which 
to  deposit  the  copper  cylinder.  This  cylinder  was  one  of 
those  specially  designed  for  deposits,  and  was  rendered  air 
and  water  tight  by  being  sealed  with  white  bees-wax;  at 
the  bottom  I  placed  a  small  piece  of  board,  then  on  either 
side  two  other  pieces;  and,  last,  on  the  top,  another;  then 
we  covered  the  same  over  with  three  inches  of  shingle  of 
the  plain." 

The  following  is  the  dispatch: 

"  SIXTH  SNOW-HOUSE  ENCAMPMENT, 

"  CAPE  BEEVOOET, 

"NOETH  SIDE  ENTRANCE  TO  NEWMAN'S  BAY, 
"  (Latitude  82°  3'  north,  longitude  61°  20'  W.,) 

"October  20,  1871. 
" To  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  the  United  States  Navy, 

"GEORGE    M.  ROBESON: 

"Myself  and  party,  consisting  of  Mr.  Chester,  first 

*  Lob-sconse  or  olio. 


164  The  Dispatch. 

1871.  "mate,  my  Esquimaux  Joe,  and  Greenland  Esquimaux 
Hans,  left  the  ship  in  winter  quarters,  Thank-God  Harbor, 
latitude  81°  38'  north,  longitude  61°  44'  west,  at  meridian 
of  October  10th,  on  a  journey  by  two  sledges,  drawn  by 
fourteen  dogs,  to  discover,  if  possible,  a  feasible  route 
inland  for  my  sledge-journey  next  spring  to  reach  the 
North  Pole,  purposing  to  adopt  such  a  route,  if  found, 
better  than  a  route  over  the  old  floes  and  hummocks  of 
the  strait  which  I  have  denominated  Robeson's  Strait,  after 
the  honorable  Secretary  of  the  United  States  Navy. 

"  We  arrived  on  the  evening  of  October  17,  having  dis 
covered  a  lake  and  a  river  on  our  way ;  the  latter,  our  route, 
a  most  serpentine  one,  which  led  us  on  to  this  bay  fifteen 
minutes  (miles)  distant  from  here  southward  and  eastward. 
From  the  top  of  an  iceberg,  near  the  mouth  of  said  river, 
we  could  see  that  this  bay,  which  I  have  named  after  Rev. 
Dr.  Newman,  extended  to  the  high  land  eastward  and 
southward  of  that  position  about  fifteen  miles,  making  the 
extent  of  Newman's  Bay,  from  its  headland  or  cape,  full 
thirty  miles. 

"The  south  cape  is  a  high,  bold,  and  noble  headland. 
I  have  named  it  Sumner  Headland,  after  Hon.  Charles 
Simmer,  the  orator  and  United  States  Senator;  and  the 
north  cape  Brevoort  Cape,  after  J.  Carson  Brevoort,  a 
strong  friend  to  Arctic  discoveries. 

"On  arriving  here  we  found  the  mouth  of  Newrman's 


Latitude  of  Highest  Land  Seen.  165 

"Bay  open  water,  having  numerous  seals  in  it,  bobbing  up     1871. 

October. 

their  heads,  this  open  water  making  close  both  to  Sumner 
Headland  and  Cape  Brevoort,  and  the  ice  of  Robeson's 
Strait  on  the  move,  thus  debarring  all  possible  chance  of 
extending  our  journey  on  the  ice  up  the  strait. 

"The  mountainous  land  (none  other  about  here)  will 
not  admit  of  our  journeying  farther  north;  and  as  the 
time  of  our  expected  absence  was  understood  to  be  for 
two  weeks,  wre  commence  our  return  to-morrow  morning. 
To-day  we  are  storm-bound  to  this,  our  sixth  encamp 
ment. 

"From  Cape  Brevoort  we  can  see  land  extending  on 
the  west  side  of  the  strait  to  the  north  22°  west,  and  dis 
tant  about  seventy  miles,  thus  making  land  we  discover  as 
far  as  latitude  83°  5'  north. 

"There  is  appearance  of  land  farther  north,  and  ex 
tending  more  easterly  than  what  I  have  just  noted,  but  a 
peculiar  dark  nimbus  cloud  hangs  over  what  seems  may 
be  land  prevents  my  making  a  full  determination. 

"August  30th,  the  Polaris  made  her  greatest  north 
ing,  latitude  82°  29'  north;  but  after  several  attempts  to 
get  her  farther  north  she  became  beset,  when  we  were 
drifted  down  to  about  latitude  81°  30'.  When  an  opening 
occurred  we  steamed  out  of  the  pack  and  made  harbor 
September  3d,  where  the  Polaris  is.  [Corner  of  manu 
script  here  burned  off.]  Up  to  the  time  I  and  my  party 


166  Homeward  Bound. 

1871.     "left  the  ship  all  have  been  well,  and  continue  with  high 

October.  .  .     . 

hopes  of  accomplishing  our  great  mission. 

"We  find  this  a  much  warmer  country  than  we  ex 
pected.  From  Cape  Alexander  the  mountains  on  either 
side  of  the  Kennedy  Channel  and  Roheson's  Strait  we 
found  entirely  bare  of  snow  and  ice,  with  the  exception  of 
a  glacier  that  we  saw  covering,  about  latitude  80°  30',  east 
side  the  strait,  and  extending  east-northeast  direction  as 
far  as  can  be  seen  from  the  mountains  by  Polaris  Bay. 

"We  have  found  that  the  country  abounds  with  life, 
and  seals,  game,  geese,  ducks,  musk-cattle,  rabbits,  wolves, 
foxes,  bears,  partridges,  lemmings,  &c.  Our  sealers  have 
shot  two  seals  in  the  open  water  while  at  this  encamp 
ment.  Our  long  Arctic  night  commenced  October  13th, 
having  seen  only  the  upper  limb  of  the  sun  above  the  gla 
cier  at  meridian  October  12th. 

"  This  dispatch  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  I  finished 
this  moment,  8.23  p.  m.,  having  written  it  in  ink  in  our 
snow-hut,  the  thermometer  outside  minus  7°.  Yesterday 
all  day  the  thermometer  minus  20°  to  23°;  that  is,  20° 
minus  to  23°  minus  Fahrenheit. 

"Copy  of  dispatch  placed  in  pillar,  Brevoort  Cape, 
October  21,  1871." 

Leaving  the  sixth  encampment  early  on  the  morning 
of  the  21st,  the  party  retraced  their  steps,  and  early  in 
the  afternoon  arrived  at  the  point  on  the  southern  shore  of 


Breakfast.  1 67 

the  bay  where  their  fifth  encampment  had  stood.  It  1871. 
being  very  cloudy,  and  the  little  daylight  rapidly  passing 
away,  it  was  determined  to  remain  at  that  point  over 
night.  The  old  snow-house  was  repaired,  and  in  a  short 
time  they  were  comfortably  established  in  it.  The  next 
morning  Hall  has  the  following  record: 

"  Notes  before  leaving  seventh  encampment,  which  is 
the  same  as  the  fifth.  Our  morning  repast  finished  at  6 
a.  m. ;  each  of  us  had  a  quart  pot  of  smoking-hot  chocolate, 
with  condensed  milk  in  it.  This  with  sea-bread,  two 
kinds,  made  of  white  and  Graham  flour,  raw  pemmican, 
and  raw  clear  pork,  makes  a  most  excellent  and  nutritious 
breakfast.  It  is  my  purpose  to  strike  direct  for  the  head 
of  this  bay,  and,  from  some  prominent  mountain  there, 
try  to  see  the  character  of  the  country  north,  to  deter 
mine  whether  sledging  in  that  direction  would  be  feasible ; 
also  to  look  for  a  route  homeward  and  hunt  musk-cattle. 

"  Every  morning  now,  the  first  thing  that  I  wish  to 
learn  is,  whether  the  stars,  or  rather  Jupiter,  can  be  seen ; 
but  generally  the  heavens  are  in  gloom.  Latitude  by 
observation  is  what  I  desire,  though  the  elements  for  de 
termining  the  latitude  of  Cape  Brevoort  I  have  from  post 
meridian  observations  of  Jupiter  the  other  morning.  We 
start  up  the  bay,  and  soon,  leaving  the  new  ice,  come 
upon  century-old  ice,  that,  commencing  from  one  side  of 
the  bay,  spreads  over  to  the  other.  At  10  a.  m.  I  place 


168  Old  Ice. 

1871.  "my  tripod  on  the  top  of  a  century-old  ridge  of  hummocks, 
and  take  compass-sights  to  all  the  prominent  points  about. 
At  11,  having  regained  the  new  ice,  stop  to  examine 
what  appears  to  be  an  old  floe  along  which  we  have  been 
sledding  for  ten  minutes.  It  is  five  feet  above  the  new 

o        O 

ice  upon  which  wre  are,  and  which  also  extends  under  it. 
The  upper  surface  has  hillocks,  and  looks  very  old.  It 
appears  to  be  fixed.  Hans  says  it  is  all  the  same  as  a 
glacier.  A  little  after  noon. we  leave  the  ice  of  the  bay, 
and  travel  up  a  gulley  upon  land.  At  2.30  p.  in.,  stop  to 
make  the  eighth  encampment.  At  5.10,  the  snow-house 
was  ready  for  occupancy." 

The  weather  had  been  overcast  and  foggy;  very  dis 
agreeable,  as  Hall  says,  for  Arctic  night- travelers.  "We 
have  now  actually  not  more  than  nine  hours  daylight  in 
which  to  travel,  and  do  outside  work,  as  loading  and  un 
loading  sledges,  and  making  snow-houses.  From  7  to  8 
in  the  morning,  and  from  4  to  5  in  the  evening,  it  is  quite 
dusky,  nevertheless  we  manage  to  do  many  of  our  outside 
duties  without  much  trouble.  To-night,  though  overcast 
and  cloudy,  I  read  off  the  time  from  my  watch  by  day 
light  at  4.37.  To-morrow  we  shall  go  in  for  a  musk-ox 
hunt." 

On  the  23d,  circum-meridian  observations  of  Jupiter 
were  made,  which  gave  81°  39'  as  the  latitude  of  the  eighth 
encampment. 


Frozen  Clothing.  169 

"Our  snow -house  is  a  fair  representative  of  the  1871. 
others;  is  9  feet  in  diameter,  5J  feet  high  from  the  floor 
to  the  dome,  and  4  feet  from  the  hed  to  the  dome.  The 
whole  spiral,  including  keystone  or  key-snow,  consists  of 
forty-eight  blocks  of  snow  6  inches  thick,  about  1  foot 
wide,  and  from  2  to  3  feet  long.  The  day,  like  most  all 
the  others  during  this  sledge-journey,  has  been  so  foggy 
as  to  make  it  quite  impossible  to  take  such  sights  as  I 
have  desired  to  take,  and  also  to  render  useless  any  time 
that  I  might  spend  in  trying  to  hunt  musk-cattle.  It  is 
nowT  my  purpose  to  make  for  the  Polaris,  which  we  shall 
most  likely  reach  to-morrow.  The  ninth  encampment 
was  made  near  the  Inland  Island,  and  also  quite  near, 
within  two  rifle-shots,  of  the  second  encampment.  I 
have  omitted  to  note  that  our  sleeping-bags,  our  vest 
ments,  everything  that  we  have  to  wear,  are  all  saturated 
with  the  moisture,  and  frozen  stiff.  We  have  not  the 
necessary  fuel  by  which  to  dry  the  same.  We  have,  to  a 
certain  extent,  adopted  the  plan  of  taking  our  smaller 
articles,  such  as  mittens  and  stockings,  to  bed  with  us. 
By  placing  them  inside  our  sleeping-bags,  and  next  to  our 
bodies,  they  become  partially  dry  by  morning.  When  we 
unpack  our  sleeping-gear,  our  sleeping-bags  have  to  be 
coaxed  a  long  time  before  we  can  unroll  them;  they  are 
so  stiffly  frozen.  But  these  kinds  of  difficulties  we  do  not 
mind  much.  So  long  as  we  can  forward  the  service  we 


170 


Home  Again. 


1 871.     "  arc  ensued  in.  so  lono-  will  we  lauoii  at  such  obstacles  as 

O     O  '  o  o 

October.  . 

those  mentioned. 

On  the  24th,  the  snow  having  been  hardened'  by  an 
eastern  gale,  they  were  able  to  make  good  progress,  and  a 
little  past  noon  Hall  writes  : 

"My  deep  anxieties  are  relieved,  for  I  and  Joe  could 
not  till  this  moment  sight  the  masts  of  the  Polaris." 


VII. 


CHAPTER    VII. 


Upon  Captain  Hall's  arrival  at  the  Polaris,  he  went  1871. 
on  board,  and  was  assisted  by  Mr.  Morton  in  getting 
off  his  fur  clothing.  He  spoke  very  encouragingly  of 
the  prospects  of  the  expedition,  and  added  that  he  ex 
pected  in  a  couple  of  days  to  start  upon  another  sledge- 
journey  which  would  complete  the  fall  work.  He  had 
not  been  in  the  cabin  more  than  a  half-hour  when  John 
Herron,  the  steward,  brought  him  a  cup  of  coffee.  He 
drank  it,  and  was  immediately  taken  very  sick.  He  vom 
ited  a  good  deal,  retching  violently.  He  went  at  once  to 
bed.  Dr.  Bessels,  who  was  at  the  observatory,  was  sum 
moned,  and  after  examination  expressed  grave  fears  that 
the  sickness  might  be  fatal.  At  8  p.  m.,  he  announced 
that  Captain  Hall's  left  side  was  paralyzed,  and  that  he 
had  had  an  apoplectic  attack. 

On  the  25th,  Captain  Hall  felt  much  better,  although 
he  had  suffered  very  much  during  the  night.  He  was 
able  to  eat  some  chicken  and  arrowroot.  In  the  evening 


174  Hall's  last  Sickness. 

1871.  he  again  became  very  sick,  and  was  in  great  pain  from 
Br*  his  constant  efforts  to  vomit.  After  having  passed  another 
very  uncomfortable  night,  the  morning  of  the  26th  found 
him  again  much  better.  The  fever  which  accompanied 
the  attack  had  left  him,  and  with  the  exception  of  being 
very  weak,  he  seemed  quite  well.  During  the  day,  Dr. 
Bessels  administered  quinine  to  him  and  applied  cold  com 
presses.  On  the  27th,  Captain  Hall  was  worse,  and  his  con 
dition  was  critical.  Dr.  Bessels  said  that  if,  in  his  present 
state,  he  had  another  attack,  the  result  would  be  fatal. 

In  the  evening,  the  doctor  proposed  to  bleed  him,  but 
Hall  resolutely  objected.  On  the  28th,  he  was  very  much 
worse,  and  symptoms  of  mental  aberration  began  to  ap 
pear.  He  no  longer  recognized  those  about  him.  He 
refused  to  take  medicine. 

On  the  29th,  his  condition  was  generally  the  same, 
except  that  he  showed  marked  evidences  of  insanity. 
Every  effort  was  made  to  keep  him  quiet  and  free  from 
excitement.  Divine  service  was  held  in  the  forecastle. 

On  the  30th,  Hall  remained  in  the  same  condition  as 
on  the  two  preceding  days.  He  refused  all  medical  aid 
and  all  nourishment,  under  the  impression  that  an  attempt 
might  be  made  to  poison  him. 

On  the  31st,  having  enjoyed  a  good  night's  rest,  he 
felt  much  better.  He  talked  rationally,  except  that  he 
still  entertained  his  former  apprehension,  to  which  he 


Death.  175 

steadily  adhered.     The  refusal  of  all  medicine  seemed  to     1871. 

~    .   ,  .  November. 

be  beneficial,  and  he  improved  rapidly,  and  on  the  1st 
and  2d,  appeared  to  be  well,  though  weak  He  took 
a  little  nourishment,  but  the  same  suspicions  still  haunted 
him  when  he  seemed  otherwise  to  be  perfectly  sane. 
He  would  take  no  food  from  any  one  but  Hannah, 
whom  he  worried  with  many  anxious  inquiries  regarding 
it.  On  the  3d,  Captain  Hall  talked  as  if  in  the  full,  posses 
sion  of  his  faculties. 

On  the  4th,  after  much  persuasion,  he  submitted  to 
the  doctor's  treatment,  who  prescribed  a  mustard  bath  on 
this  and  the  next  day.  He  ate  a  large  quantity  of  cooked 
seal-meat,  contrary  to  the  doctor's  directions. 

On  the  6th,  he  looked  and  felt  well,  and  strong  hopes 
were  entertained  of  his  recovery.  Notwithstanding  the 
injunction  of  Dr.  Bessels,  he  got  up  and  dressed,  remain 
ing  up  nearly  all  day.  He  was  to  all  appearances  per 
fectly  sane,  and  employed  his  time  in  getting  in  order  the 
records  of  his  sledge-journey.  He  dictated  for  several 
hours  to  Mauch,  and  began  to  interest  himself  in  the  or 
dinary  duties  of  the  ship.  That  night,  however,  he  had 
another  attack  and  became  alarmingly  ill.  Early  on  the 
morning  of  the  7th,  he  sank  into  a  comatose  state,  breath 
ing  heavily,  during  which  his  body  was  rubbed  with  mus 
tard.  In  this  condition  he  remained  until  3. 25 'a.  m.  of 
the  8tb,  when  he  expired. 


176  Affliction. 

1871.  The  ship's  company  was  awakened,  and  the  sad  in- 

'"  telligence  conveyed  to  them.  There  was  but  one  expres 
sion — of  deep,  heartfelt  sorrow.  The  crew  was  exceed 
ingly  depressed.  They  had  learned  to  love  and  appre 
ciate  their  leader,  and  to  repose  full  confidence  in  him. 
He  had  treated  them  with  kindness  and  consideration,  and 
in  return  they  loved  and  trusted  him. 

The  Esquimaux,  Joe  and  his  wife,  were  almost  heart 
broken.  They  had  looked  upon  Hall  as  a  father,  for 
nearly  ten  years.  They  never  could  hope  to  find  any 
one  who  would  take  his  place.  They  had  been  with  him 
in  many  trials  and  dangers;  they  had  often  saved  his  life; 
they  felt  alone  in  the  world. 

The  officers  who  had  messed  with  him,  known  him 
more  intimately,  and  appreciated  his  singleness  of  pur 
pose  and  force  of  character,  knew  that  the  life  of  the 
expedition  was  gone.  His  zeal  and  forethought  had  ani 
mated  and  directed  the  smallest  duties.  Hall  inspired  en 
thusiasm.  He  furnished  the  incentives  which  influenced 
even  the  most  zealous  and  which  stimulated  the  efforts  of 
the  most  indifferent. 

He  was  at  the  same  time  the  leader  and  the  hero  of 
the  expedition. 

Captain  Hall  had  a  good  constitution,  and  in  general 
was  rarely  sick.  He  had  been,  however,  at  times  sud 
denly  and  violently  attacked.  Those  who  knew  him  well 


Former  Attacks.  177 

and  were  much  with  him  in  former  years  were  awrare  of     18^1. 

November. 

these  attacks,  which  he  recorded  in  his  journals.  His  dis 
position  did  not  incline  him  to  enter  much  into  details  con 
cerning  his  own  sufferings.  He  never  complained  except 
when  illness  delayed  the  progress  of  his  work. 

While  on  his  second  expedition,  on  the  25th  of 
March,  1865,  he  speaks  of  the  suffering  arising  from  the 
strained  position  he  is  obliged  to  take  in  writing  up  his 
journal,  and  adds  that  it  occasioned  quite  sharp  and  severe 
pain  in  his  left  breast.  And  again,  on  the  15th  of  May, 
he  mentions  the  pains  in  the  left  breast,  which  he  says 
had  increased,  and  had  caused  the  raising  of  blood.  On 
the  1st  of  December,  1868,  he  is  suddenly  taken  sick  at 
night  from  an  unknown  cause. 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1869,  he  writes :  "  I  have  felt 
unequal  to  the  task  of  making  notes ;  in  fact,  I  had 
thought,  just  before  leaving  the  41st  encampment,  that  my 
very  life  was  fast  ebbing,  so  severe  and  sudden  an  attack 
did  I  have  of  pains  in  the  stomach ;  but  by  the  prompt 
action  of  my  men,  at  my  orders,  to  unload  the  already 
prepared  sled  for  our  starting  on  our  journey  and  get  me 
my  bottle  of  the  essence  of  peppermint,  I  feel  that  I  was 
saved.  A  large  dose  of  the  restorative,  timely  exhibited, 
soon  dispelled  the  gloom  that  was  universal  around  me. 
Thanks  to  Him  who  overrules  all,  that  I  still  live.  I 

have  not  yet  fully  recovered  from  my  prostrate  state,  but 
12 


178  Former  Attacks. 

1871.     am  in  a  fair  way  for  it.     That  time  I  shall  not  soon  for- 

IV  o  vein  her. 

o-et.  As  noted,  we  were  all  ready  to  start — resuming  our 
journey — the  women,  in  fact,  had  gone  on  ahead  ;  though 
far  from  well,  yet  I  had  no  idea  hut  I  was  quite  ahle  to 
go  right  on,  when  I  suddenly  felt  an  indescribably  ill  turn 
coming  on.  I  told  my  men  my  fears,  and  gave  in  brief 
words  what  I  wanted  done,  and,  for  some  time  after,  all 
seems  to  me  as  a  dream  indistinctly  remembered.  It  is 
distinct  in  memory  that  I  found  myself  on  a  single  hairy 
deer- skin  within  the  roofless  circle — the  snow- wall  of  our 
before-deserted  igloo — and  surrounded  by  my  attentive 
men  and  the  natives,  all  deeply  anxious  to  do  whatever 
they  could  for  me,  each  wearing  an  anxious,  sympathizing 
look,  as  I  lay  there  recovering  from  the  shock  just  expe 
rienced.  I  was  soon  on  my  legs  again,  but  too  prostrate 
to  think  of  doing  any  more  than  ride.  I  never  experi 
enced  such  an  attack  before,  and  pray  I  may  never 
again." 

These  are  interesting  as  records,  generally,  of  sudden 
attacks,  not  unlike  the  one  of  which  Hall  died.  He  was 
also  the  victim  of  short  but  violent  attacks  of  sickness 
during  his  laborious  efforts  to  organize  his  third  expedi 
tion. 

Colonel  Lupton,  with  whom  he  was  intimate  while 
in  Washington  on  this  business,  relates  that  when  these 
efforts  were  relaxed  by  the  favorable  action  of  Congress 


Halls  Temperament.  179 

on  his  appropriation  for  the  Polaris  expedition,  the  reaction     1871. 

November. 

led  to  such  a  total  prostration  of  his  vital  energies  that  he 
was  enjoined  to  go  to  the  sea-shore. 

Hall  was  a  large  man,  and  possessed  a  phlegmatic 
temperament,  which  must  have  been  severely  taxed  by 
his  great  excitement,  especially  while  in  Washington 
endeavoring  to  carry  into  execution  the  idea  which  had 
for  many  years  held  dominion  over  his  desires  and  facul 
ties.  So  thoroughly  had  he  identified  himself  with  his 
work,  that  his  feelings  in  regard  to  it  began  to  assume  the 
form  of  a  religious  enthusiasm.  A  natural  consequence  of 
this  excitement  was  an  absolute  prostration  of  the  system 
when  the  goal  was  reached.  On  retiring  to  quiet  and 
private  life,  he  partially  regained  his  strength,  although 
he  continued  busily  employed  on  his  plans.  He  was  soon 
recalled  into  active  life  by  the  necessity  of  superintending 
the  outfit  of  the  vessel.  He  was  so  constituted  that  he 
could  not  delegate  to  others  his  authority  and  responsi 
bilities.  Painfully  conscious  of  the  importance  of  the 
position  he  held,  and  of  his  obligations  to  the  President, 
from  whom  he  had  received  his  appointment,  he  spared 
no  exertions  in  doing  the  work  with  which  he  had  been 
intrusted. 

For  several  weeks  just  previous  to  sailing  he  was  under 
medical  treatment. 

We  learn  from  a  letter  written  by  Mr.  Joseph  Cox, 


180  Last  Words. 

1871.     Presiding  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  Cincin- 

Novcmber. 

nati,  in  which  city  Captain  Hall  enjoyed  a  short  visit  to 
his  family  before  he  sailed,  that  while  in  company  with  the 
Judge,  "going  up  Vine  street,  near  Sixth,  he  complained 
of  suffering  from  vertigo ;  said  it  troubled  him  frequently, 
and  added  that  the  only  thing  which  gave  him  relief  was 
eating  one  or  two  pounds  of  raw  beef-steak;  and  bade  me" 
(the  Judge)  "  good-bye,  saying  that  he  must  go  to  a 
butcher's  shop  and  get  some  now  to  relieve  him,  so  that 
he  might  recruit  and  be  ready  to  return  to  New  York." 

This  was  said  on  the  last  day  which  Hall  spent  at 
his  western  home;  and  said  to  one  with  whom  he  had 
been  for  years  on  terms  of  intimacy,  and  to  whom  he  had 
just  freely  communicated  his  plans  and  his  strong  confi 
dence  of  success. 

Captain  Hall's  restless  activity  did  not  cease  when  he 
got  to  sea,  and  it  may  be  said  that  it  never  ceased  up  to 
the  last  day  of  his  good  health. 

During  his  last  illness,  one  or  two  persons  were 
always  near  him;  every  night  some  one  sat  up  with 
him;  Mr.  Chester  and  Mr.  Morton  watched  with  him 
more  frequently  than  any  others.  Hall  placed  great  con 
fidence  in  them,  especially  in  Morton.  At  one  time,  how 
ever,  in  his  delirium,  he  suspected  even  Morton's  fidelity, 
and  refused  to  take  any  nutriment  from  the  hands  of  any 
one  except  Hannah. 


HaWs  State  of  Mind.    .  181 

Although,  when  out  of  his  mind,  he  spoke  roughly     1871. 

November. 

to  Dr.  Bessels,  in  his  sane  moments  he  fully  appreciated 
the  doctor's  care  and  kindness.  Just  before  he  died, 
while  Dr.  Bessels  was  smoothing  his  pillow,  Captain  Hall 
said,  "  Thank  you,  doctor ;  you  have  been  very  kind  to 
me."  Speaking  these  words,  he  turned  over  and  fell  into 
his  final  sleep. 

The  apprehension  of  personal  injury  manifested  by 
Hall,  during  his  last  illness,  may  be  regarded  as  the  return 
of  a  mental  condition  excited  at  times  during  his  previous 
long  residence  among  the  Esquimaux.  Then  these  appre 
hensions  were  more  or  less  well  founded.  Duing  his  soli 
tary  seclusion  there  was  undoubtedly  occasional  cause  for 
personal  mistrust,  and  whenever  such  a  cause  arose,  his 
solitude  and  helplessness  may  very  naturally  have  exag 
gerated  his  fears.  Hall's  friends  have  never  spoken  of 
him  as  a  suspicious  person;  but  nothing  is  more  natural 
than  that  he  should  have  been  upon  his  guard  among 
those  rude  people. 

In  his  journals  may  be  found  several  exemplifications 
of  this  state  of  mind,  instances  of  supposed  slights  and 
injuries,  and  of  his  even  entertaining  fears  for  his  per 
sonal  safety.  These  cases  have  been  carefully  noted  and 
examined,  with  special  reference  to  his  state  of  mind  in 
his  last  sickness.  He  was  undoubtedly  in  a  condition  of 
mental  aberration  when  he  exhibited  these  fears;  but 


182  Medical  Certificate. 

1871.     their  real  origin  may  be  traced  to  a  habit  of  mind  acquired 

November. 

during  his  lonely  life  among  the  Esquimaux. 

It  is  not  impossible  that  his  incoherency  in  one 
instance  may  have  proceeded  from  his  recalling  a  scene  of 
violence  occurring  in  one  of  his  former  expeditions,  in 
which  he  had  been  obliged  to  act  with  promptness  and 
vigor.  Its  result  had,  however,  always  constituted  a  pain 
ful  recollection. 

An  inquiry  into  the  circumstances  attending  the 
death  of  Captain  Hall  was  made  after  the  return  of  the 
officers  and  crew  of  the  Polaris.  The  result  of  this  inquiry 
is  given  in  the  following  certificate  : 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  0., 

December  26,  1873. 

"SiR:  We,  the  undersigned,  were  present,  by  request 
of  the  honorable  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  at  the  examina 
tion  of  Dr.  Emil  Bessels  in  regard  to  the  cruise  of  the 

o 

Polaris  and  the  circumstances  connected  with  the  illness 
and  death  of  Captain  Hall.  We  listened  to  his  testimony 
with  great  care  and  put  to  him  such  questions  as  we 
deemed  necessary. 

"From  the  circumstances  and  symptoms  detailed  by 
him,  and  comparing  them  with  the  medical  testimony  of 
all  the  witnesses,  we  are  conclusively  of  the  opinion  that 
Captain  Hall  died  from  natural  causes — viz.,  apoplexy — 


Digging  the  Grave.  1 83 

1  'and  that  the  treatment  of  the  case  hy  Dr.  Bessels  was     1871. 

November. 

the  best  practicable  under  the  circumstances. 
"Respectfully,  your  obedient  servants, 

"J.  K.  BAKNES, 
"  Surgeon- General  United  States  Army. 

"J.  BEALE, 
"  Surgeon- General  United  States  Navy. 

"Hon.  GEOKGE  M.  EOBESON, 

"  Secretary  of  the  Navy." 

The  body  of  Captain  Hall,  after  having  been  prepared 
for  burial,  was  covered  with  the  national  flag. 

A  party  sent  on  shore  to  dig  a  grave,  found  the 
ground  frozen  so  hard  that  it  cost  the  greatest  labor  to 
make  any  impression.  After  the  most  fatiguing  efforts 
with  various  tools  on  this  and  the  following  day,  they 
succeeded  in  excavating  to  the  depth  of  twenty-six 
inches — the  seat  of  permanent  frost — which  was  consid 
ered  sufficient  to  protect  the  coffin  from  the  bear,  the  only 
disturber  to  be  feared.  This  work,  in  consequence  of  the 
obscurity  of  the  day,  was  excuted  by  the  light  of  lanterns. 

After  the  body  was  placed  in  the  coffin,  in  the  cabin, 
all  hands  were  called  in  to  look,  for  the  last  time,  upon  the 
face  of  him  who  had  been  their  commander.  They  gazed 
upon  it  with  the  most  affectionate  tenderness  and  regard. 
A  sense  of  loneliness  and  loss  filled  their  minds,  and  the 


184  The  Funeral 

1871.     future,  which,  under  the  inspiration  of  Hall's  enthusiasm, 

November. 

had  been  so  promising,  was  now  dark.  Little  was  said 
as  the  sorrowful  procession  passed  the  open  coffin  and 
viewed  the  lifeless  remains.  When  this  was  over  the 
coffin  was  closed  and  carried  to  the  after-deck. 

At  11  a.  m.  of  November  10,  1871,  the  ship's  bell 
was  tolled,  the  coffin  wras  placed  on  a  sled,  and  the  pro 
cession  which  had  been  formed  on  the  ice,  moved  toward 
the  shore.  Although  near  the  middle  of  the  day,  it  was 
quite  dark.  The  sky  was  overcast  and  gloomy,  and  they 
were  compelled  to  pick  their  way  over  the  ice  by  the 
light  of  lanterns.  Captain  Tyson  headed  the  procession. 
The  officers  and  the  Esquimaux  walked  beside  the  sled,  or 
followed  it  slowly.  In  crossing  the  ice  that  lay  between 
the  ship  and  the  shore,  the  hummocks  were  avoided  and  a 
smooth  track  was  followed  between  the  icebergs  and  the 
smaller  masses.  Striking  the  shore  near  the  observatory 
and  ascending  the  little  hill,  they  moved  down  the  plain  to 
the  grave.  The  ground  was  in  general  covered  with  snow, 
but  many  places  had  been  kept  bare  by  the  wind. 

The  coffin  was  placed  in  the  grave,  and  Mr.  Bryan 
read  a  short  burial-service.  The  silence  which  followed 
was  broken  by  the  sound  of  the  earth  upon  the  coffin 
and  by  the  sobs  of  Hannah. 

Nature  seemed  to  be  in  harmony  with  the  event. 
The  temperature,  although  a  few  degrees  above  zero,  was 


The  Grave. 

exceedingly  uncomfortable,  owing  to  the  prevalence  of  a 
strong  breeze  from  the  northeast.  A  snow-drift  accom 
panied  this  high  wind ;  surrounding  objects  were  indis 
tinct;  the  face  of  the  earth  was  in  the  last  degree  bleak 
and  desolate. 

After  the  grave  was  filled,  the  little  company  slowly 
separated  to  return  to  the  ship,  meditating  on  the 
momentous  questions  touching  their  own  present  and' 
future,  which  were  forced  upon  them  by  this  overwhelming 
calamity. 


185 


November. 


VIII. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 


The  death  of  Captain  Hall  proved  to  be  fatal  to  the 
main  object  of  the  expedition — to  the  fulfillment  of  that 
purpose  for  which  he  had  qualified  himself  by  many  years 
of  banishment  from  home — the  attainment  of  the  Pole,  if 
possible,  or  the  absolute  proof  of  its  inaccessibility. 

The  world  is  already  acquainted  with  the  details  of 
his  residence  among  the  Esquimaux  during  the  years 
1860,  1861,  and  1862.  The  immediate  object  of  that 
first  residence  was  the  search  for  the  remains  of  Sir  John 
Franklin's  expedition.  To  this  he  was  stimulated  by  the 
fitting  out  of  the  first  Grinnell  expedition;  and  at  this 
time,  indeed,  was  laid  the  foundation  of  that  zeal  for  Arctic 
exploration  which  guided  and  controlled  the  whole  remain 
der  of  his  life.  While  carrying  on  the  business  of  an 
engraver  in  Cincinnati,  as  early  as  1850,  he  devoted  all 
his  leisure  hours  to  the  study  of  Arctic  exploration,  being 
indebted  for  the  means  of  study  to  the  liberality  of  the 
Mercantile  Library  Association  of  that  city.  At  this 


190  Hall's  Early  Arctic  Researches. 

1854.  time  he  was  under  great  obligations  to  his  friend,  Col. 
James  Lupton,  President  of  the  Association,  who,  antici 
pating  his  future  usefulness  and  fame,  liberally  supplied 
him  with  works  of  Arctic  literature.  From  this  date  he 
maintained  the  deepest  interest  in  the  successive  expedi 
tions  for  Franklin's  relief,  including  those  of  England  and 
our  own  country. 

On  the  return  of  Dr.  Rae,  in  1854,  with  some  of 
the  relics  of  franklin's  expedition,  the  British  Govern 
ment  refusing  to  make  further  search,  Hall  seriously 
entertained  the  idea  of  co-operating  with  McClintock, 
who  commanded  Lady  Franklin's  vessel,  the  Fox.  He 
took  some  steps  toward  obtaining  for  this  purpose  the 
British  ship  Resolute,  abandoned  by  Parry,  rescued  by 
Capt.  James  Budington,  of  Connecticut,  and  restored  at 
the  national  expense  to  England.  But  before  this  idea 
could  be  carried  out,  McClintock  returned  with  his  in 
teresting  information.  Hall  was,  however,  well  satisfied 
that  the  subject  had  been  by  no  means  exhausted,  and 
he  entered  on  fresh  efforts  to  accomplish  an  object  which 
had  now  taken  entire  possession  of  his  mind. 

Without  entering  into  details  already  published  in  the 
Introduction  to  his  "Arctic  Researches,"  it  may  be  said 
here  that  he  finally  collected  the  means  of  making  his 
first  expedition,  an  account  of  which  is  given  in  that  work. 
It  is  grateful  to  read  the  story  of  his  own  exertions,  and 


His  First  Voyage.  191 

of  the  liberality  of  his  friends,  among  whom  he  particu- 
larly  mentions  Mr.  Henry  Grinnell,  Mr.  Miles  Greenwood, 
and  Mr.  E.  M.  Bishop,  of  New  York.  Through  their 
help  he  was  enabled  to  procure  the  outfit  of  a  boat, 
sledges,  provisions,  instruments,  &c.,  necessary  to  his 
undertaking ;  all  of  which  Messrs.  Williams  and  Haven, 
of  New  London,  Conn.,  offered  to  convey  free  of  charge 
to  Northumberland  Inlet  in  their  bark,  George  Henry, 
giving  him  also  free  passage.  Hall  left  New  London  on 
the  20th  of  June,  1860,  and,  after  touching  at  Holstein- 
borg,  Greenland,  reached  Cyrus  Field's  Bay,  on  the  oppo 
site  coast,  August  18,  where  the  ship  went  into  winter 
quarters. 

Since  he  had  been  unable  to  carry  out  his  original 
design  of  having  a  schooner  at  command,  his  plan  of 
operations  was  to  start  early  in  the  spring  in  his  boat 
with  a  native  crew,  reach  the  head  of  Northumberland 
Inlet,  and,  crossing  a  narrow  portage,  to  follow  the  outlet 
of  a  lake  to  Fox's  Channel,  and  passing  thence  through 
Fury  and  Hecla  Straits,  go  as  far  as  Victoria  Harbor. 
Once  there,  a  sledge-journey  would  enable  him  thor 
oughly  to  explore  all  the  region  about  King  William's 
Land,  and  obtain  satisfactory  information  respecting  the 
fate  of  Franklin's  men.  This  plan  could  not  be  carried 
out  in  consequence  of  his  losing  his  boat  by  a  storm  in 
the  month  of  September  following.  But  during  his  two 


192  Results. 

1 862.  years'  residence  in  that  region  he  made  several  boat  and 
sledge  journeys,  acquired  a  familiarity  with  the  mode  and 
conditions  of  Arctic  travel,  and  enlarged  the  boundaries 
of  Arctic  geography. 

In  a  letter  written  several  years  afterward  to  the 
Senate  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations,  when  applying 
for  aid  from  the  Government,  he  says  of  this  first  expedi 
tion  :  "  From  my  own  determinations,  hy  astronomical 
observations  and  surveys,  I  succeeded  in  adding  to  our 
charts  about  fifteen  hundred  (1,500)  miles  of  coast-line." 

When  Hall  reached  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  on  his 
return,  September  23d,  1862,  he  sent  a  telegram  to  Mr. 
Henry  Grinnell  and  Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field,  saying:  "I  am 
bound  for  the  States,  to  renew  voyage,  have  not  prosecuted 
my  mission  to  the  extent  proposed  on  account  of  loss  of  craft; 
but  thank  God  he  has  empowered  me  to  do  something; 
have  solved  the  mysteries  of  near  three  centuries  relative 
to  Sir  Martin  Frobisher's  expeditions  under  the  auspices  of 
Queen  Elizabeth;  have  learned  the  fate  of  the- five  men 
captured  from  Frobisher  by  the  Esquimaux;  identified  the 
exact  places  of  his  landings,  especially  the  Countess  of 
Warwick's  Sound,  where  Frobisher  attempted  to  plant  a 
colony  of  one  hundred  men;  recovered  therefrom,  and  have 
them  on  board,  a  large  number  of  relics  of  said  expedi 
tions;  have  explored  over^  one  thousand  miles  of  coast, 
including  the  so-called  Frobisher's  Straits,  which  1  have 


Relics.  193 

discovered  to  be  a  bay  terminating  in  latitude  63°  48'     1862. 
north,  longitude  70°  west;  have  also  discovered  a  great 
glacier  and  a  mountain  of  fossils  between  Hudson's  Strait 
and  Frobisher's  Bay." 

Of  the  relics  referred  to  in  this  telegraphic  dispatch, 
a  part  were  transmitted  to  the  British  people  through  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society  of  London,  and  a  portion  were 
sent  to  Prof.  Joseph  Henry,  to  be  deposited  in  the  Smith 
sonian  Institution,  Washington.  A  full  list  of  those  depos 
ited  with  the  Royal  Geographical  Society  will  be  found  in 
the  "Three  Voyages  of  Martin  Frobisher,"  edited  by 
Rear- Admiral  Oollinson,  C.  B.,  for  the  Hakluyt  Society. 
A  number  of  those  belonging  to  the  Smithsonian  In 
stitution,  together  with  interesting  remains  of  Parry's, 
Franklin's,  Rae's,  and  McClintock's  expeditions,  form  part 
of  the  Arctic  collection  exhibited  by  the  United  States 
Naval  Observatory  at  the  International  Exhibition  of  1876 
in  Philadelphia. 

During  his  residence  among  the  Esquimaux  he  adopted 
their  manners  and  customs,  conforming  entirely  to  their 
mode  of  living.  Here  he  acquired  his  early  training  for 
Arctic  explorations.  It  was  on  this  expedition  that  he 
first  met  Joe  and  Hannah,  thereafter  his  fast  friends  and 
constant  companions.  It  is  a  proof  of  his  unabated  in 
terest  in  the  subject  that  on  his  return  home  he  immedi 
ately  commenced  his  lecturing  tours,  by  which  he  hoped 


13 


194  ffalFs  Second  Expedition. 

1864.  to  acquire  the  means  lor  undertaking  a  second  expedition. 
He  evinced  at  the  same  time  his  patriotism  by  offering  his 
services  to  President  Lincoln  to  go  in  search  of  the  Alabama. 


This  is  not  designed  for  a  biographical  sketch; 
therefore,  the  period  intervening  between    Hall's  return 
from  his  first  expedition  and  his  setting  out  on  his  second, 
will    be    passed    over    with    one    or   two    observations. 
Throughout  this  interval  his   zeal  in  Arctic   exploration, 
and  his  industry   in  collecting  the   means  for  a  second 
expedition,  were  unflagging.     They  were  finally  rewarded, 
partly  through  his  owrn  exertions  and  partly  through  the 
exhaustless  liberality  of  his  friends.     Having   furnished 
himself  with  the  necessary  outfit,  and  being   accompa 
nied  by  the  two  Esquimaux  whom  he  had  brought  back 
with  him  to  the  United  States,  he  left  New  London  on 
the  30th  of  June,  1864,  in  the  bark,  Monticello,  Capt. 
E.  A.  Chapel,  being  again  indebted  to  Messrs:  Williams 
&  Haven,  for  a  free  passage.     The  first  mate  on  board  of 
this  vessel  was  Mr.  Chester,  afterward  mate  of  the  Polaris. 
On  the  20th  of  August,  he  was  landed  with  his  stores  on 
Depot  Island;  and,  later  in  the  same  month,  accompanied 
by  Joe  and  Hannah,  and  a  white  man  hired  from  the  ship, 
he  reached  a  point  on  the  western  coast  of  Roe's  Welcome, 
in  latitude  64°  36'  N.     He  here  began  his  long-continued 


Wintering  in  Repulse  Bay.  195 

Esquimaux  life,  taking  up  his  abode  in  their  igloos,  and  1865. 
conforming  his  hahits  in  all  respects  to  theirs ;  assimilating 
himself  to  them  and  learning  their  traditions.  He  heard 
from  them  that  Franklin  and  his  men  had  an  encounter 
with  one  of  the  Indian  tribes;  that  afterward  all  of  the 
former  starved,  except  Captain  Crozier  and  three  of  his 
people,  who  passed  one  winter  with  the  very  natives  with 
whom  Hall  was  then  living;  that  when  the  white  men 
were  first  seen,  "Crozier  was  very  thin  hut  his  three  com 
panions  were  very  fat;"  that  Crozier  started  with  them 
south  for  the  purpose  of  reaching  one  of  the  settlements 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company ;  and  that  with  one  of  the 
men  he  actually  visited  the  Esquimaux  of  Chesterfield 
Inlet. 

In  the  following  summer  Hall  resumed  his  journeys. 
In  the  early  part  of  June,  after  experiencing  much  diffi 
culty  and  danger,  he  arrived  at  the  northeast  side  of  Re 
pulse  Bay,  in  latitude  66°  13';  by  September  he  had 
moved  on  to  Fort  Hope,  Rae's  former  headquarters,  in 
the  neighborhood  of  which,  latitude  66°  32',  longitude 
86°  56'  W.,  the  party  went  into  igloos  for  the  winter. 
Hall  here  used  for  a  store-house  an  oven  erected  by  Rae 
in  1845. 

On  the  31st  of  March,  1866,  he  started  on  his  sledge- 
journey  with  the  Esquimaux,  toward  King  William's  Land. 
Traveling  was  difficult  and  slo\v  over  the  chain  of  lakes 


196  Hostile  Tribes. 

1866.  lying  between  Gibson's  Cove  and  the  "Sea  of  Akkoolee," 
as  the  Esquimaux  call  Committee  Bay.  At  the  end  of 
one  month,  on  reaching  their  highest  point,  in  latitude  68° 
N.,  about  six  miles  above  Cape  Weynton,  he  met  with 
some  natives  who  had  in  their  possession  silver  spoons 
given  them  by  Crozier  and  stamped  "F.  11.  M.  C."  Here, 
however,  the  natives  who  were  with  him,  being  fright 
ened  by  the  accounts  received,  from  the  Esquimaux  of  the 
place,  of  hostile  tribes  beyond,  refused  to  proceed  further; 
he  was  forced  to  return  to  Repulse  Bay,  "disappointed," 
as  he  says  in  his  journal,  "but  not  discouraged."  In 
the  mean  time  he  discovered  other  very  positive  relics  of 
Franklin's  men.  He  spent  the  summer  in  surveying  the 
coasts  of  Repulse  Bay,  and  in  gathering  further  knowl 
edge  of  the  lost  explorers.  He  and  his  party  subsisted  by 
hunting  and  salmon-fishing.  At  one  time  they  succeeded 
in  killing  a  whale,  which  was  afterward  a  source  of  some 
profit  to  him  from  the  sale  of  its  bone.  Several  whalers 
passed  the  winter  in  the  bay,  and  held  frequent  inter 
course  with  him. 

To  prepare  himself  for  a  second  effort  to  reach  King 
William's  Land,  in  March,  1867,  he  made  a  sledge-journey 
to  Igloolik,  where,  by  means  of  presents,  he  secured  a 
number  of  dogs.  He  spent  a  month  in  surveying  the 
region  around  Parry's  winter-quarters;  he  also  made  a 
valuable  survey  of  Ship's  Harbor  Islands.  During  his 


Monument  near  Cape  Crozier.  197 

winter-residence  of  1867-68,  near  Beacon  Hill,  at  the  1868. 
head  of  Gibson's  Cove,  Hall  became  confident  that  some 
of  Franklin's  men  still  survived  on  the  shores  of  Fury  and 
Hecla  Straits,  and  determined  to  rescue  them  before  going 
to  King  William's  Land.  On  the  23d  of  March,  1868,  in 
company  with  Joe,  Hannah,  and  one  white  man,  he 
ascended,  by  nearly  his  former  route,  as  far  as  Ooglet 
Islands,  passed  up  Hooper  Inlet,  and,  going  up  the 
western  branch  of  Crozier  River,  discovered  a  long,  nar 
row  lake,  which  he  named  "Grinnell  Lake,"  and  its  outlet 
"  Brevoort  River."  Following  this  outlet  to  a  large  bay 
he. turned  to  the  southward  arid  found,  near  Cape  Crozier, 
the  monument  of  which  the  natives  had  told  him  as  hav 
ing  been  built  by  white  men;  but  the  deep  snow  pre 
vented  his  search  for  records.  Hall  carefully  surveyed 
the  coast  up  to  the  entrance  of  Fury  and  Hecla  Straits — 
a  part  of  the  American  Continent  which  had  never  been 
explored;  he  then  visited  Gifford  Eiver,  finding  there 
also  relics  of  white  men,  and  returned  to  his  quarters 
June  26th. 

At  this  time  occurred  the  mutiny  among  the  five 
white  men  whom  he  had  hired  from  the  whaling-ships 
the  preceding  autumn.  It  began  with  threats  of  desertion 
and  ended  with  Captain  Hall's  shooting  the  leader.  The 
circumstances  attending  this  event  belong  to  his  biogra 
phy;  they  are  minutely  detailed  in  his  journal.  Notwith- 


198  The  Fifth  New  Year's  Day. 

1 869.     standin^  the  refusal  of  the  white  men  to  renew  their  term 

o 

of  service  with  him  Hall  remained  to  carry  out  his  pur 
pose  of  reaching  King  William's  Land.  Spending  the 
rest  of  the  season  in  laying  in  supplies  for  the  following 
year,  and  in  making  a  survey  around  Lyons  Inlet,  which 
corrected  Parry's  chart  and  placed  a  new  inlet  on  the 
maps,  Hall  passed  his  fifth  severe  season  with  the  Esqui 
maux  at  Repulse  Bay.  There  were  as  many  as  one  hun 
dred  and  twenty-two  Esquimaux  living  there;  yet  food 
was  plentiful,  and  he  seems  to  have  been  quite  happy  in 
his  celebration,  among  them,  of  the  New  Year's  day  of 
1869. 

After  many  preparations,  Hall  at  length,  on  the  23d 
of  March,  again  started  for  King  William's  Land.  His 
company  consisted  of  five  Esquimaux  men,  three  women, 
and  two  children. 

Following  the  route  he  had  traversed  twice  before, 
he  reached  his  cache  near  Cape  Weynton  April  2d,  arid 
found  it  undisturbed;  some  of  the  provisions  had  been 
damaged  by  exposure. 

Entering  the  land  at  Colvile  Bay,  he  traveled  in  a 
northwesterly  direction,  arid  on  the  9th  reached  the  ice  of 
Pelly  Bay.  The  natives  whom  he  here  met  showed  him 
many  articles  which  had  belonged  to  Franklin's  expedi 
tion. 

Continuing  his  journey,  he  made  an  almost  direct 


Franklin's  Ship.  199 

westerly  course  over  the  land,  and,  crossing  Simpson  and     1869. 
Grinnell  Lakes,  he  reached  the  ice  of  Inglis  Bay  on  the 
28th  of  April,  having  fortunately  killed  some  musk-cattle 
and  deer  on  the  way. 

Crossing  Sheppard's  Bay,  he  approached  King  Will 
iam's  Land,  and,  when  near  that  island,  found  many  other 
relics,  and  heard  much  more  respecting  Crozier  and  his 
men,  from  the  Innuits.  They  said  that  one  of  Franklin's 
ships,  after  having  been  abandoned,  drifted  down  to  the 
shores  of  O'Reilly's  Island,  and  was  there  visited  by  sev 
eral  of  the  natives. 

The  Innuits  were  convinced  that  some  white  men 
had  passed  a  winter  in  the  ship  there.  Afterward,  the 
natives  had  obtained  a  great  deal  of  wood  from  the  wreck, 
and,  breaking  into  the  cabin,  found  there  a  very  large 
man — dead.  The  ship  was  subsequently  so  broken  by  the 
ice  that  she  sank. 

From  his  conversation  with  the  Innuits,  Hall  became 
satisfied  that  he  had  discovered  the  places  where  the  re 
mains  of  at  least  seventy-nine  of  Franklin's  men  lay.  On 
the  8th  of  May,  he  started  with  a  small  party  to  visit 
Todd's  Island  and  the  shores  of  King  William's  Land. 
Here,  also,  with  many  other  relics,  he  found  human  bones 
in  several  places. 

One  entire  skeleton  he  brought  home.  It  was  after 
ward  placed  by  Mr.  Brevoort,  of  Brooklyn,  in  the  hands 


200  Crazier  and  His  Men. 

1869.  of  an  English  officer.  Hall  erected  monuments  over  the 
places  where  the  dead  men  lay,  and  fired  salutes  in 
honor  of  their  memories. 

At  Sheppard's  Bay  he  met  other  natives,  who  had 
seen  Crozier  and  his  party  of  about  forty-five  men  in 
July,  1848,  a  few  miles  above  Cape  Herschel.  They 
had  given  Crozier  some  meat.  Crozier's  men  were  putting 
up  a  tent  in  which  to  pass  the  night,  and  the  natives 
encamped  near  them;  but  while  Crozier's  men  were 
sleeping  the  natives  got  up  and  went  away.  The  party 
seemed  very  hungry.  Nothing  more  was  seen  of  them 
until  the  following  spring,  when  the  natives  found  their 
dead  bodies.  Captain  Crozier's  body  was  never  found, 
and  they  believed  that  he  had  escaped  and  reached  his 
country.  Captain  Hall  blamed  the  Innuits  for  not  remain 
ing  and  hunting  for  the  Crozier  party. 

The  Esquimaux  who  were  with  Hall  now  insisted 
that  the  land  would  soon  be  bare  of  snow,  and  that  unless 
they  began  their  return  they  would  not  be  able  to  get 
back  to  Repulse  Bay  until  fall.  Captain  Hall,  though 
very  anxious  to  remain  longer  about  King  William's  Land, 
was  compelled  to  yield  to  their  wishes.  On  his  return,  he 
followed  substantially  the  same  route  as  that  taken  on  his 
outward  journey.  Stopping  frequently  to  hunt,  they 
killed  eighteen  reindeer,  seventy-nine  musk-cattle,  and 
two  seals.  In  speaking  of  this,  Hall  remarks  that  Crozier 


Hall's  Return.  201 

and  his  party  need  not  have  starved  if  they  had  known     1869. 
the  resources  of  the  country,  or  had  with  them  a  few  Es 
quimaux  to  point  out  its  abundance. 

The  month  of  July*  was  spent  in  further  sur 
veying,  in  hunting  and  fishing,  and  in  preparing  to 
return  to  his  country.  Hall  had  determined  to  attempt  a 
journey  to  York  factory  if  no  whaler  appeared  by  the 
10th  of  August,  but  on  the  6th  of  that  month  he  received 
a  visit  from  Captain  Fisher,  of  the  Ansel  Gibbs,  who 
had  just  arrived  in  the  bay.  On  the  26th  of  August,  he 
placed  on  board,  the  whalebone  which  he  had  secured, 
and  eighteen  deer,  which  latter  were  fully  appreciated 
by  the  ship's  company.  With  Joe,  Hannah,  and  a 
little  girl  whom  these  Esquimaux  had  adopted,  they  arrived 
at  New  Bedford  on  the  26th  of  September,  being  pre 
sented  with  a  free  passage  by  the  owner  of  the  vessel, 
Mr.  Jonathan  Bourns,  junior. 

Some  time  after  his  return,  Captain  Hall  addressed 
to  Judge  Charles  P.  Daly,  president  of  the  American 
Geographical  Society,  a  letter  in  which  he  gave  a  concise 
account  of  the  geographical  results  of  this  his  second  ex 
pedition.  In  justice  to  Hall,  this  compendious  statement 
of  the  work  of  five  years  is  here  given. 

"DEAR  SIR:  Continued  occupation  since  my  return 
has  prevented  me  from  giving  you,  as  you  requested,  an 
account,  in  detail,  of  what  I  have  observed  in  respect  to 


202  Letter  to  Judge  Daly. 

"the  geography  of  the  Arctic  regions.  With  my  first 
voyage  you  are  sufficiently  familiar,  and  I  have  nothing 
to  add  to  what  is  contained  in  the  volume  published  by  the 
Harpers.  During  the  last  five  years  that  I  have  spent 
in  the  Arctic,  I  availed  myself  of  every  opportunity  afforded 
me  for  accurate  observation,  and  I  give  you  the  results. 
You  will  remember  that  Wager  Bay  is  an  old  discovery 
of  Middleton's,  in  1742,  when  he  was  in  search  of  a  north 
west  passage.  The  general  outline  or  rough  sketch  then 
made  remains  unimproved  to  the  present  day.  I  explored 
this  inlet  for  sixty  miles,  up  and  down,  to  its  junction  with 
Roe's  Welcome,  and  made  a  series  of  observations  from 
astronomically-determined  positions. 

"Repulse  Bay,  though  visited  by  Middleton,  and  after 
ward  by  Parry  and  by  Rae,  still  remains  but  imperfectly 
defined.  I  have,  from  my  own  observations,  the  data  for 
a  more  accurate  delineation  of  the  outline  of  this  bay.  I 
discovered  and  surveyed  a  new  inlet  in  latitude  67°  north, 
longitude  84°  30',  a  few  miles  north  of  Norman's  Creek, 
of  which  it  may  be  said  to  be  a  counterpart,  running  from 
Lyon's  Inlet  to  the  eastward.  I  may  be  excused  for  ex 
pressing  to  you  the  gratification  I  felt  in  making  this  dis 
covery,  remembering  that  Parry,  in  1821,  when  exploring 
and  surveying  the  opening  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of 
Lyon's  Inlet,  determined,  as  he  says  in  his  narrative,  to 
leave  no  opening  or  arm  unvisited;  and  yet  with  all  his 


Letter  to  Judge  Daly.  203 

"care  and  the  aid  of  his  officers  and  four  boats'  crews,  he 
overlooked  the  new  inlet  I  found,  from  the  fact  that  a  high 
island  shut  out  from  his  view  the  entrance  to  it.  I  dis 
covered  a  hay  on  the  west  side  of  Fox  Channel,  latitude 
(59°,  longitude  81°  30',  which  makes  west-southwest  for 
fifteen  miles.  This  Parry  also  missed,  which  is  not  re 
markable  when  we  consider  that  his  was  a  marine  survey 
along  the  west  side  of  Fox  Channel  to  Ig-loo-lik,  an  island 
near  the  eastern  end  of  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait.  I  discov 
ered  an  important  lake,  twenty-five  miles  in  length,  in 
latitude  68°  45'  north,  longitude  82°  west.  I  call  it  im 
portant,  as  it  abounds  in  salmon  of  large  size,  some  being 
six  feet  in  length.  It  contains,  also,  many  other  species 
of  fish,  some  of  which  I  think  have  been  hitherto  un 
known.  Also  another  lake,  latitude  69°  35',  running 
parallel  with  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait,  about  fifty  miles  in 
length.  It  has  two  outlets.  I  followed  up  Crozier's  River, 
the  mouth  of  which  Parry  discovered,  and  found  its  source 
to  be  the  lake  described.  At  the  west  end  of  the  lake  is 
another  outlet  forming  a  river,  which  I  followed  down  to 
the  Gulf  of  Boothia,  where  the  river  discharges  itself  into 
a  fine  bay — another  discovery.  It  fell  to  my  lot,  also,  to 
ascertain  the  northwestern  part  of  Melville  peninsula,  at 
and  below  the  western  outlets  of  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait, 
which  may  be  said  to  complete  the  discovery  of  the 
American  continent. 


204  Letter  to  Judge  Daly, 

"I  discovered  a  long  island  lying  to  the  northwest,  and 
westward  of  the  western  outlet  of  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait, 
and  also  the  coast  of  the  mainland  on  the  north  side  of 
the  above-mentioned  outlet  of  the  strait,  and  I  found  that 
the  "Jesse  Isle,"  laid  down  and  so  named  on  Dr.  Rae's 
chart,  at  the  north  of  Parry  Bay,  latitude  69°  30',  longi 
tude  85°  10',  is  not  there. 

"Although  Parry  had  his  vessels,  the  Fury  and  the 
Hecla,  near  to  Amherst  Island,  in  1822,  and  sent  out 
from  there  exploring  and  surveying  parties,  directing  them 
to  search,  if  possible,  for  the  western  outlet  of  Fury  and 
Hecla  Strait,  they  were  unable  to  find  it.  In  the  follow 
ing  spring,  1823,  while  his  vessels  were  in  harbor  at 
Ig-loo-lik  Island,  latitude  69°  21',  longitude  82°  west, 
Lyon,  Parry's  associate,  undertook  to  reach  the  western 
outlet  of  the  strait  by  means  of  sledges  and  dogs;  but 
after  journeying  for  nineteen  days  he  failed  to  accomplish 
it.  In  1847,  Dr.  Rae  left  his  headquarters  at  Fort  Hope, 
at  the  head  of  Repulse  Bay,  with  the  intention  of  reach 
ing  the  outlet  of  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait,  but  before  he 
could  get  there  his  provisions  gave  out,  and  he  was  com 
pelled  to  turn  back.  I  had  some  reason,  therefore,  to 
feel  gratified  when  I  found  myself  traversing  the  very 
region  that  such  intrepid  explorers  as  Parry,  Lyon,  and 
Rae  had  attempted  to  reach  in  vain. 

"The  next  important  contribution  to  geography  was 


Letter  to  Judge  Daly.  205 

"my  discovering  an  important  island  north  of  Ormond's 
Island,  at  the  east  end  of  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait.  What 
Parry  has  put  down  upon  his  chart  as  the  mainland,  north 
of  Ormond's  Island,  is  an  island,  but  somewhat  less  in 
size  than  Ormond's  Island. 

"I  think  that  if  Parry  had  known  of  the  existence  of 
the  channel  which  is  on  the  north  side  of  the  new  island 
that  I  refer  to,  he  would  have  succeeded  in  getting  his 
vessels  much  farther  to  the  westward  in  the  strait  than  he 
did.  By  passing  through  this  new  channel  and  by  keep 
ing  close  to  the  land  on  the  north  side  of  the  strait,  Fury 
and  Hecla  Strait,  like  the  passage  leading  into  Wager  Bay, 
and  like  Hudson  Strait  in  the  navigable  season,  may  be 
penetrated  by  keeping  on  the  north  side,  while  the  oppo 
site  or  south  side  is  encumbered  by  heavy  ice. 

"From  intelligent  Esquimaux,  whom  I  met  at  Ig-loo- 
lik,  I  obtained  information  about,  and  sketches  of,  the  west 
coast  of  Fox's  Farthest,  latitude  66°  50'  north,  up  to  what 
Parry  calls  "  Murray  Maxwell's  Inlet,"  which  is  near  the 
east  end  of  Fury  and  Hecla  Strait.  Murray  Maxwell's 
Inlet,  as  Parry  calls  it,  is  in  reality  a  sound  or  strait 
that  sweeps  around  to  the  eastward,  forming  a  large  island. 
If  you  take  your  pencil  and  continue  the  so-called  Murray 
Maxwell's  Inlet  to  the  eastward  and  to  the  blank  in  Parry's 
chart,  you  will  have  the  delineation  of  the  island  that  is 
there.  To  the  eastward  of  the  Calthorpe  Isles  and  Cape 


206  Letter  to  Judge  Daly. 

"Konig,  you  will  find  the  broken  lines  of  the  land  that 
Parry  discovered.  He  could  not  determine  whether  it  con 
sisted  of  islands  or  formed  a  part  of  the  mainland.  From 
Esquimaux,  who  had  been  there,  I  learned  that  it  consisted 
of  two  islands.  The  nearest  approach  I  made  to  them 
was  on  my  visit  to  Fern  Island,  which  you  will  find  on 
Parry's  chart  attached  to  the  narrative  of  his  second 
voyage. 

"At  Ig-loo-lik  I  met  Esquimaux  who  were  natives  of 
Cumberland  Sound,  sometimes  called  Cumberland  Inlet, 
which,  you  know,  is  on  the  west  side  of  Davis  Strait, 
above  Frobisher  Bay.  These  natives  made  their  way 
to  Ig-loo-lik  by  first  making  a  portage  from  Cumberland 
Sound  to  a  large  lake,  called  upon  the  charts  Kennedy's 
Lake,  and  which,  by  the  way,  I  may  remark,  no  white 
man  has  ever  yet  seen,  and  then  launching  their  oo-mi-ens 
(women's  boats)  upon  the  lake,  which  they  traversed  west 
ward,  entering  a  large  river,  and  drifting  down  it  with  a 
swift  current  to  Fox's  Farthest,  where  the  river  enters  the 
sea.  From  there  they  turned  north,  and  coasted  along,  up 
to  the  Cathorpe  Isles,  and  from  there  crossed  over  to  Ig- 
loo-lik. 

"From  Esquimaux  at  Ig-loo-lik  I  also  obtained  im 
portant  information  of  a  new  bay  that  will  not  only  be  of 
interest  to  geographers,  but  must,  I  think,  eventually  be 
of  great  value  to  our  commerce.  The  entrance  to  this 


Letter  to  Judge  Daly.  207 

"bay  "has  only  been  seen,  and  is  indicated  upon  the  Arctic 
charts  as  Admiralty  Inlet.  Nothing  has  been  known, 
however,  by  civilized  man  of  the  extent  of  this  bay  or  of 
its  character.  The  entrance  is  from  Barrow's  Strait,  lati 
tude  73°  43'  north,  longitude  83°  west,  and  the  bay  ex 
tends  very  nearly  in  a  southern  direction  to  about  71° 
north  latitude.  The  west  side  has  a  coast-line  on  a  grad 
ual  curve  from  Barrow's  Strait  to  near  its  limit,  the  con 
cave  on  the  east,  while  the  west  (east  ?)  side  has  many 
bays  or  fiords,  with  some  good  harbors  in  them.  The 
bay  is  free  from  ice  every  summer,  and  none  of  the  ice 
from  Barrow's  Strait  ever  finds  its  way  into  it.  This  bay 
abounds  iu  whales  (Balcena  Mysticetus,  or  smooth  back, 
the  most  important  to  civilized  man),  in  narwhals  (the 
sea  unicorn),  and  in  seals.  So  abundant  are  the  whales, 
that  the  natives  sometimes  kill  in  their  rude  way  as  many 
as  five  large  ones  in  a  few  days.  The  information  I  de 
rived  from  the  Esquimaux  has  convinced  me  that  this  new 
bay  will  prove  as  valuable  to  whalers  as  Cumberland 
Sound.  From  1840  to  the  present  time  the  product  from 
whale-bone  and  oil  from  Cumberland  Sound,  by  English 
and  American  whalers,  has  amounted  to  §15,000,000; 
and  as  the  area  of  the  whale-fishery  is  gradually  diminish 
ing,  the  fact  of  the  existence  of  this  bay  I  regard  as  of 
great  value,  as  opening  up  a  new  ground  for  the  prosecu 
tion  of  this  important  industry. 


208  Letter  to  Judge  Daly. 

"I  also  obtained  valuable  information  from  the  Esqui 
maux  at  Ig-loo-lik  respecting  Pond's  Bay,  the  western 
prolongation  of  which,  upon  our  present  Arctic  charts,  is 
miscalled  Eclipse  Sound.  If  the  testimony  of  the  Esqui 
maux  can  be  relied  upon,  and  I  place  the  fullest  confidence 
in  it,  Pond's  Bay  terminates  in  longitude  81°  west  (ap 
proximately) ;  and  the  representation  upon  the  Arctic 
charts  of  a  strait  from  Pond's  Bay  to  Prince  Regent's  In 
let,  on  the  northern  part  of  the  Gulf  of  Boothia,  is  erro 
neous. 

"It  has  been  the  supposition  of  geographers  that  Davis 
Strait  and  Baffin's  Bay  are  connected  with  Fox's  Channel 
by  straits.  This  is  not  the  fact.  All  the  intelligent 
Esquimaux  that  I  have  met  in  my  two  voyages  assert 
that  the  land  bounded  on  the  north  by  Barrow's  Strait, 
upon  the  east  by  Baffin's  Bay  and  Davis  Strait,  on  the 
south  by  Hudson's  Strait,  and  on  the  west  by  Fox's  Chan 
nel  and  Prince  Eegent's  Inlet,  is  one  land  or  one  great 
island.  They  know  of  a  much  smaller  island,-  that  has 
Pond's  Bay  on  its  south  side,  Navy  Board  Inlet  (or,  more 
properly,  strait)  on  its  west,  Lancaster  Sound  on  its  north, 
and  Baffin's  Sea  on  its  east  side. 

•'  My  other  contributions  to  geography  are  that  Dr. 
Rae's  Colvile  Bay,  in  latitude  68°  north,  longitude  88°  20', 
is  not  a  bay,  but  very  low  land ;  that  his  Grinnell  Lake 
and  Simpson  Lake,  which  he  delineates  as  one  continuous 


Letter  to  Judge  Daly.  209 

lake,  are,  in  fact,  three  distinct  lakes;  and,  lastly,  that  his 
Shephard's  Bay  extends  northerly  about  twelve  miles 
beyond  the  limit  he  has  assigned  to  it. 

"This,  my  dear  sir,  embraces  all  I  have  to  communi 
cate.  You  will  remember  that  I  went  out  with  very  lim 
ited  resources,  and  was  more  circumscribed  for  the  want 
of  means  than  almost  any  Arctic  explorer.  Should  I 
again  go  out,  as  I  trust  to  do,  I  hope  to  extend  the 
area  of  geographical  discovery  and  accomplish  some 
thing  that  may  redound  to  the  credit  of  our  common 
country. 

"Very  respectfully,  yours, 

"0.  F.  HALL. 

"Hon.  OHAKLES  P.  DALY, 

"  President  American  Geographical  Society." 

The  purpose  of  giving  the  preceding  summary  of 
Hall's  Arctic  explorations,  previous  to  his  taking  com 
mand  of  the  Polaris  Expedition,  has  been  to  show 
how  eminently  he  was  qualified  for  that  service,  not  only 
by  his  zeal  and  devotion  to  it,  but  by  a  long  course  of 
discipline,  and  by  the  hardihood,  and  knowledge,  acquired 
by  living  nearly  eight  years  in  the  region  of  the  Esqui 
maux,  as  no  white  man  had  ever  done  before. 

One  of  his  objects  in  going  there  was  to  acquire 
knowledge  and  experience  to  be  employed  in  a  future 
exploration  of  the  highest  attainable  latitudes  of  the 

14 


210  The  Scientific  Corps. 

Arctic  Ocean.  His  settled  conviction  was  that  there  was 
a  way  open  to  the  Pole  itself. 

When  he  took  command  of  the  Polaris  he  held  in 
his  hands  the  very  means,  long  coveted,  of  gratifying  his 
paramount  wish  to  carry  out  this  idea. 

The  vessel  was  thoroughly  built  and  amply  supplied 
with  stores  and  provisions.  The  officers  and  crew  were 
particularly  well  trained  for  Arctic  service.  Several  of 
the  officers  were  men  of  uncommon  ability  and  of  large 
experience. 

To  commence  with  the  scientific  corps : 

Dr.  Emil  Bessels,  the  head  of  this  corps,  as  is  well 
known,  was  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Heidelberg, 
a  man  devoted  to  science,  and  eminently  sagacious  and 
industrious ;  in  addition  to  this  he  possessed  the  advantage 
of  experience.  Under  the  auspices  of  the  celebrated 
geographer,  Dr.  Petermann,  of  Gotha,  he  had  gone  out 
in  the  seating-vessel,  the  Albert,  in  1869,  and  made 
extensive  explorations  in  the  seas  between  Nova  Zembla 
and  East  Greenland,  with  important  observations  on  the 
Gulf  Stream.  He  had  served  for  six  months  as  volunteer 
surgeon  in  the  Prussian  army  in  the  Franco-German  war. 
He  had  volunteered  to  accompany  the  expedition  as  soon 
as  he  heard  that  there  was  difficulty  in  obtaining  the 
services  of  a  competent  person. 

Mr.  R.  W.  D.  Bryan,  a  graduate  of  Lafayette  Col- 


The  Officers.  211 

lege,  Pennsylvania,  was  recommended  by  his  Alma  Mater 
for  the  position  of  Astronomer.  Previously  to  sailing  he 
prepared  himself  for  his  duties  by  an  additional  course  of 
study  and  practice  at  Washington.  He  seems  to  have 
enjoyed  in  an  eminent  degree  the  confidence  and  esteem 
of  all  his  associates. 

Mr.  Frederick  Meyer,  a  native  of  Prussia,  graduated  at 
a  military  academy,  and  received  a  commission  as  lieuten 
ant  in  the  Prussian  army.  Before  he  left  Germany  he 
held  an  appointment  in  Maximilian's  army,  but  on  reach 
ing  the  United  States  decided  not  to  go  to  Mexico. 
Having  entered  the  United  States  Army,  he  was  detailed 
as  a  signal  observer  at  Saint  Louis.  He  distinguished 
himself  in  his  corps  by  the  accuracy  of  his  observations, 
and  the  systematic  and  thorough  performance  of  his 
duties,  and  was  detailed  by  General  Albert  J.  Myer, 
Chief  Signal-Officer  United  States  Army,  to  serve  on 
board  the  Polaris. 

Of  the  officers  of  the  ship  under  Captain  Hall,  Capt. 
S.  0.  Budington  had  made  thirteen  voyages  to  Baffin's 
Bay,  and  had  commanded  several  whale-ships,  in  one  of 
which,  in  1860,  he  carried  Captain  Hall  to  Frobisher's 
Bay. 

Capt.  G.  E.  Tyson,  the  assistant  navigator,  had  had 
command  of  five  ships  in  the  whaling  service.  Jn  the 
years  1865  and  1867  he  had  met  Captain  Hall  at 


212  Officers. 

Repulse  Bay,  and  he  was  with  Capt.  James  Budington 
when  the  Resolute  was  found  and  brought  to  the  United 
States. 

Mr.  H.  C.  Chester  had  spent  ten  years  whaling  in 
Arctic  seas,  principally  in  Behring  Straits.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  strength  and  activity,  and  of  marked  force 
of  character.  He  was  devoted  to  his  profession.  His 
personal  influence  over  the  crew  proceeded  from  his  officer- 
like  conduct,  as  much  as  from  his  other  qualifications  as  a 
seaman. 

William  Morton  had  passed  nearly  thirty  years  of  his 
life  in  the  naval  service,  part  of  which  was  during  the 
late  war.  He  had  been  with  De  Haven  in  the  first 
Grinnell  expedition  (1850-51),  and  with  Kane  in  the 
second  (1853-55).  Dr.  Kane  said  of  Morton  that  he  was 
as  gallant  and  trustworthy  a  man  as  ever  shared  the 
fortunes  or  claimed  the  gratitude  of  a  commander. 
Morton  transferred  to  Hall  the  allegiance  he  had  for 
merly  given  to  Kane. 

Mr.  E.  Schumann,  the  engineer,  had  been  assistant 
engineer  in  the  service  of  the  Lloyds  Steamship  Company, 
having  been  a  long  time  on  board  the  Saxonia.  He 
was  an  excellent  engineer  and  machinist.  The  manner 
in  which  he  saved  the  Polaris  from  destruction  (described 
in  the  body  of  this  narrative),  proved  that  he  possessed 
great  coolness  and  excellent  judgment.  When  he  joined 


Crew.  213 

the  Polaris,  he  could  scarcely  speak  a  word  of  English; 
before  he  returned  to  the  United  States  he  not  only  spoke 
the  language  well  and  fluently,  but  enjoyed  reading  the 
works  of  Dickens. 

His  assistant,  Mr.  Odell,  had  been  in  the  service  of 
the  Government  during  the  late  civil  war.  He  was  a 
practical  man,  a  good  machinist  and  blacksmith. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Mauch,  in  addition  to  his  ordinary  duties, 
showed  himself  possessed  of  culture  and  ability  as  an 
observer  of  natural  phenomena.  His  observations  are 
frequently  cited  in  this  narrative.  The  ingenuity  and  skill 
of  the  carpenter,  Mr.  Coffin,  were  exercised  with  fidelity 
whenever  his  health  permitted  him  to  be  on  duty. 

The  sterling  qualities  of  the  crew  of  the  Polaris  have 
been  more  than  once  noted  in  the  text,  on  the  authority 
of  their  experienced  mate,  Mr.  Chester.  These  were 
abundantly  tested  in  the  trials  and  the  dangers  which  at 
tended  the  termination  of  the  voyage. 

Concerning  Joe,  Hannah,  and  Hans,  it  is  sufficient  to 
recall  their  valuable  services  as  interpreters  and  as  hunt 
ers,  who  often  maintained  the  very  lives  of  the  ship's 
company. 

The  object  of  this  enumeration  and  of  these  com 
ments  is  to  show  that  Hall  possessed  every  means,  instru 
ment,  and  qualification  for  attaining  the  end  of  his  voyage ; 
except,  indeed,  personal  good  health.  If  he  had  carried 


214  Disappointment. 

with  him  in  the  Polaris  the  strength  and  power  of  endur 
ance  exhibited  in  his  former  explorations,  he  might  have 
reached  his  utmost  hope,  that  of  raising  the  Hag  of  his 
country  over  the  Pole. 


CHAPTER    IX. 


The  crew,  during  the  two  weeks  of  Hall's  illness,  1871. 
had  been  employed  in  their  ordinary  daily  duties,  such  as 
cleaning  decks,  keeping  the  fire-hole  open,  procuring  ice, 
and  other  like  work ;  and  in  addition,  nearly  every  day 
they  were  engaged  in  hanking  up  the  sides  of  the  ship 
with  snow.  At  first,  the  blocks  of  snow  were  cut  from  the 
bank  near  the  observatory,  and  sledded  over  to  the  vessel. 
A  few  windy  days,  however,  brought  the  snow  in  thick 
drifts  off  from  the  land,  and  packed  it  against  the  promi 
nences  which  rose  near  the  ship,  above  the  general  surface 
of  the  ice,  so  that  the  labor  was  not  so  great.  Owing  to 
the  rapidly  decreasing  daylight  the  work  was  greatly  de 
layed,  and  was  not  completed  until  the  7th.  A  wall 
had  been  by  that  time  built  all  about  the  vessel  from 
5  to  8  feet  thick,  and  as  high  as  the  top  of  the  bulwarks 
where  the  awning  was  housed.  A  flight  of  large  snow  steps 
was  made,  leading  to  the  opening  in  the  awning,  which 
was  on  the  port  side,  just  over  the  forward  gangway. 


218  Igloos  for  Magnetic  Observations. 

1871.  During  a  part  of  this  time,  the  temperature  had  been 

November. 

very  low,  and  when  the  wind  blew,  exposure  was  very 
trying.  The  men,  however,  stood  it  bravely,  and  received 
the  commendations  of  their  officers.  Although  skins  had 
been  provided  for  clothing,  none  had  as  yet  been  made 
up ;  the  men  had  nothing  to  wear  except  their  ordinary 
clothing :  yet  such  care  was  taken  that  not  a  single  frost 
bite  occurred. 

Messrs.  Bryan  and  Meyer,  assisted  by  two  of  the  sea 
men,  banked  up  the  observatory,  and  made  a  covered, 
winding  approach  to  it  to  keep  out  the  wind.  On  the 
2d,  Joe  and  Hans,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Bryan, 
built  two  snow  houses  for  magnetic  purposes.  It  was 
originally  intended  to  use  the  observatory  for  such  obser 
vations  ;  accordingly,  as  has  been  previously  mentioned, 
it  was  built  with  copper  nails  and  bolts.  The  house, 
however,  proved  to  be  too  small  for  any  addition  to  its 
original  service.  The  two  igloos,  or  snow  huts,  were 
built  not  far  from  the  observatory,  and  were  connected  by 
an  arched  passage-way ;  another  passage  led  to  the  cov 
ered  area  in  front  of  the  observatory-door.  In  this  way 
one  could  go  from  the  observatory  to  either  of  the  igloos 
without  exposing  himself  to  the  wind.  One  of  the  snow 
houses  was  designed  for  the  dip-circle  and  the  other  for 
the  declinometer. 

On   the   4th,    Mr.    Meyer   began    to   make   regular 


Scientific   Work.  219 

hourly  meteorological  observations.     A  small  shelter  had     1871. 

.  ^  November. 

been  built  against  the  eastern  side  of  the  observatory. 
In  it  were  placed  the  standard  thermometer,  the  wet  and 
dry  bulb  psychrometers,  the  maximum  and  minimum 
thermometers,  and  the  ozonometer.  The  first  three  were 
read  every  hour  ;  the  last  three  once  in  every  twenty-four 
hours.  An  anemometer  was  fastened  on  an  upright  post, 
frozen  into  a  barrel  to  keep  it  firm.  Solar  and  dry  radia 
tion  thermometers  were  also  used.  Inside  the  observa 
tory,  the  barometer  and  an  electrometer,  connected  with 
prepared  points  fastened  to  a  pole  raised  near  the  build 
ing,  completed  the  outfit  of  the  meteorologist.  Mr.  Meyer 
readily  obtained  the  assistance  of  Dr.  Bessels,  who  could 
not  work  upon  his  special  branches  until  the  spring. 
They  divided  the  day  into  three  watches  of  eight  hours 
each,  and  took  them  by  turns,  so  that  one  of  them  was  at 
the  observatory  sixteen  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four. 
The  carpenter  built  a  pier  for  the  transit-instrument, 
which  Mr.  Bryan  prepared  to  use  on  the  first  favorable 
opportunity.  The  tidal  observations  were  made  by  two 
of  the  seamen,  Robert  Kruger  and  Hermann  Siemens, 
during  the  day  from  6  a.  m.  to  9  p.  m. ;  and  by  the 
anchor-watch  during  the  remaining  nine  hours. 

On  the  28th  of  October,  Hans  set  some  seal-traps, 
without  success ;  the  two  natives  frequently  went  hunting, 
but  were  generally  unsuccessful.  On  the  4th  of  Novem- 


220  A  Large  Seal. 

1871.     ber  they  found  a  large  extent  of  young  ice,  only  three 

November. 

inches  in  thickness.  Passing  cautiously  over  they  heard 
a  peculiar  noise,  and  soon  the  head  of  a  huge  bearded  seal 
was  thrust  up  through  the  ice.  Hans  at  once  fired  at  it, 
but  did  not  kill  it,  and  the  animal  disappeared.  They 
waited  patiently  for  it  to  re-appear,  but  in  vain.  The 
next  day,  however,  they  had  better  success.  About  4 
p.  m.,  Hans  came  to  the  vessel,  making  the  joyful  an 
nouncement  that  he  had  succeeded  in  killing  a  very  large 
seal,  and  wanted  help  to  bring  it  to  the  ship.  The  men 
started  at  once  to  bring  back  the  animal,  which  proved  in 
deed  to  be  a.  very  large  one — Phoca  barbata.  It  is  called 
by  the  Greenland  Esquimaux  "Ursuk;"  in  North  Green 
land,  "Oo-sook;"  and  by  the  Esquimaux  on  the  west  side 
of  Davis  Straits,  "Ook-gook."  It  was  so  heavy  that  the 
men  found  no  easy  task  in  dragging  it  to  the  vessel.  Its 
weight  was  estimated  at  1,500  pounds,  and  its  thick  coat 
of  blubber  was  thought  by  experienced  whalers  to  con 
tain  a  barrel  of  oil.  The  meat  was  highly  prized  arid 
carefully  stored  away,  to  be  used  during  the  winter 
in  case  any  of  the  company  should  be  attacked  by  the 
scurvy.  The  skin  of  this  seal  is  greatly  prized  by  the 
natives,  being  used  by  them  as  sole-leather,  and,  when 
properly  prepared,  answering  this  purpose  excellently 
well.  They  also  use  it  to  make  their  seal,  walrus  and 
other  lines,  such  as  dog-traces,  sled-lashings,  &c.  When 


The  Dogs.  221 

the  skin  of  this  animal  cannot  be  procured,  they  use  other     1871. 

November. 

hides;  but  this  is  preferred,  being  stronger,  lighter,  and 
more  readily  worked  than  that  of  the  other  seals  or  of 
the  walrus. 

At  times  it  was  feared  that  there  would  be  the  same 
difficulty  in  keeping  the  dogs  as  was  experienced  by  both 
Kane  and  Hayes;  but  the  peculiar  malady  described  by 
those  explorers  did  not  break  out.  Up  to  the  3d, 
however,  from  one  cause  or  another,  thirteen  dogs  had 
been  lost — six  large  ones  and  seven  puppies.  There  still 
remained  fifty-four — six  Newfoundland  and  forty-eight 
Esquimaux  dogs.  The  puppies  died  rapidly,  without 
any  apparent  cause.  They  had  generally  been  fed  every 
other  day,  or,  at  times,  twice  a  week.  At  first  they 
were  fed  on  the  dried  fish  bought  for  that  purpose  at 
the  Danish  settlements,  and  sometimes  with  the  old  seal- 
meat  procured  at  the  same  time.  Besides  this,  the  pup 
pies  were  fed  with  bread.  Hermann  Siemens  had  no 
doubt  that  the  poor  dogs  were  starved,  for  he  thus  feel 
ingly  writes-  "  My  heart  would  almost  break  when  I  saw 
the  poor  creatures  thus  starved.  He  who  caused  this  will 
have  to  answer  for  it  at  the  last  day.  He  who  delights  in 
the  sufferings  of  a  beast  will  grow  cold  and  heartless  and 
surely  also  torment  his  fellow-men;  he  never  can  love 
God." 

Captain  Hall's  regulations  in  regard  to  fuel  were  rig- 


222  Coal  Consumed  During  October. 

1871.     idly  observed.     Mr.  Noah  Hayes  continued  to  weigh  out 

November. 

all  the  coal  that  was  consumed,  and  during  the  month  of 
October  the  weekly  average  in  all  the  stoves  was  1,184 
pounds.  The  whole  amount  consumed  during  the  month 
was  distributed  among  the  different  stoves  as  follows: 

Pouiids. 

Berth-deck  .  . .   1,  271 

Cabin  .  1,  354 

Galley.  1,769 

Observatory 344 


Total 4,  738 

The  daylight  had  been  growing  steadily  less.  On 
the  28th  of  October,  stars  of  the  first  magnitude  could  he 
seen  at  noon,  while  on  the  1st  of  November,  it  is  recorded 
that  stars  of  the  second  magnitude  could  be  seen  all  day. 
What  was  called  "daylight"  existed  for  about  four  hours, 
from  10  a.  m.  to  2  p.  m.,  during  which  time  the  twilight 
was  strong  enough  to  enable  the  men  to  see  to  work  out 
side  in  banking  up  the  vessel. 

On  the  6th,  the  thickness  of  the  ice  was  measured. 
Near  the  vessel  it  was  2  feet  2£  inches  thick;  50  feet 
from  the  vessel  toward  the  shore,  2  feet  9  inches;  and  25 
feet  further  on,  2  feet  11  inches. 

The  weather  during  the  sickness  of  Captain  Hall 
had  been  very  fine,  being  unusually  calm  and  clear.  The 


Temperature.  223 

thermometers  varied  from  a  few  degrees  below  zero  to     1871. 

November. 

— 25°.  During  the  6th  and  7th,  however,  the  tempera 
ture  became  milder,  the  thermometer  going  up  to  14° 
above  zero.  This  was  accompanied  by  a  warm  breeze 
from  the  southwest  and  a  light  snow-storm. 


15 


OH  A  P  TEE  X. 


On  the  death  of  Captain  Hall,  the  command  of  the     1871. 

November. 

expedition  devolved  upon  Captain  Budington,  who  began 
at  once  to  exercise  its  duties ;  no  change  was  made  in  the 
ordinary  routine. 

On  the  13th,  Dr.  Bessels  prepared  the  following 
paper,  which  he  submitted  to  Captain  Budington.  It 
was  signed,  as  will  be  seen,  by  both  gentlemen. 

"Consultation. 

11  THANK-GOD  HARBOR, 

"November  13,  1871. 

"First  consultation  held  between  Messrs.  S.  0.  Bud 
ington  and  E.  Bessels.  Through  the  mournful  death  of 
our  noble  commander,  we  feel  compelled  to  put  into  effect 
the  orders  given  us  by  the  Department,  viz: 

'"Mr.  Budington  shall,  in  case  of  your  death  or  dis 
ability,  continue  as  the  sailing  and  ice  master,  and  control 
and  direct  the  movements  of  the  vessel;  and  Dr.  Bessels 


228  Consultation. 

1871.     shall,  in  such  case,  continue  as  the  chief  of  the  scientific 

November. 

department,  directing  all  sledge-journeys  arid  scientific 
operations.  In  the  possible  contingency  of  their  non- 
concurrence  as  to  the  course  to  he  pursued,  then  Mr. 
Budington  shall  assume  the  sole  charge  and  command, 
and  return  with  the  expedition  to  the  United  States  with 
all  possible  dispatch.' 

"It  is  our  honest  intention  to  honor  our  dear  flag, 
and  to  hoist  her  on  the  most  northern  part  of  the  earth, 
to  complete  the  enterprise  upon  which  the  eyes  of  the 
whole  civilized  world  are  raised,  and  to  do  all  in  our  power 
to  reach  our  proposed  goal. 

"S.  0.  BUDINGTON. 
BESSELS." 


About  this  time,  the  ship ^s  company  were  startled  by 
a  loud  cry  of  distress,  at  midnight,  from  the  room  of  the 
carpenter.  He  was  found  covered  by  his  blankets  and 
crouching  in  horror  in  a  corner  of  his  bunk,  believing  that 
he  had  heard  a  voice  calling  to  him  from  the  adjacent 
store-room,  which  was  closed  and  locked.  He  supposed 
that  some  one  had  a  design  upon  his  life.  To  pacify  him 
the  store-room  was  carefully  searched;  but  notwithstand 
ing  the  proof  thus  afforded  of  his  having  been  deceived,  he 
continued  in  the  belief  that  he  really  had  been  threatened. 


Tidal  Observations.  229 

This   was   the   first    indication  of    what   afterward     1871. 

November. 

proved  to  be  an  occasional  mental  aberration.  It  was 
thought  to  be  owing  to  the  exposed  situation  of  his  room, 
which  had  already  affected  his  health  in  other  respects. 
Captain  Budington,  soon  after,  gave  him  the  berth  in  the 
cabin  which  had  been  occupied  by  Captain  Hall. 

Hayes,  on  the  llth,  fell  down  from  the  gangway- 
ladder,  wrenching  one  of  his  knees  very  badly.  He 
suffered  with  it  for  a  week,  but  regained  its  use,  and  was 
soon  able  to  resume  his  duties. 

In  consequence  of  some  apparent  irregularities  in  the 
tidal  observations  on  the  12th,  Eobert  Kruffer  and  Her- 

o  • 

mann  Siemens,  two  very  trustworthy  men,  were  placed 
in  exclusive  charge  of  them,  after  which  the  observa 
tions  did  not  exhibit  the  former  discrepancies;  frequent 
soundings  were  taken  to  make  sure  of  the  zero  of  the 
scale. 

The  wind  varied,  of  course,  in  direction  and  intensity, 
but  generally  fresh  breezes  or  heavy  gales  prevailed  from 
the  N.  E.  with  large  snow-drifts  and  declining  tem 
perature.  The  snow  drifted  into  strange  shapes  and  piles 
about  the  vessel. 

On  the  12th,  after  the  very  severe  drift  of  the  night 
previous,  a  gangway  was  cut  from  the  ship  to  the  tidal 
apparatus,  with  banks  on  either  side  five  feet  high.  The 
gales  from  the  N.  E.  were  very  severe,  rising  to  a  velocity 


230  Lime-Juice. 

1871.     of  47  miles  per  hour.     When  strong  gales  from  the  north 

November. 

prevailed,  the  ice  in  the  straits  was  driven  to  the  south 
ward,  leaving  many  open  spaces.  On  the  13th,  a  low 
water-cloud  hanging  over  these  open  spaces  hid  the  op 
posite  shore  from  view.  During  calms  or  very  light 
winds,  an  incoming  tide  would  bring  the  ice  up  again,  and 
very  little  water  could  be  seen ;  a  similar  result  was  pro 
duced  by  a  southerly  wind. 

On  the  14th,  lime-juice  was  given  out  for  the  first 
time.  The  men  relished  it,  and  it  was  made  a  regular 
article  of  daily  use. 

On  the  15th,  Mr.  William  Morton,  the  second  mate, 
complained  of  a  soreness  in  the  heel.  During  his  service 
with  Kane  on  the  second  Grinnell  expedition,  1853-55, 
he  had  one  of  his  heels  badly  frozen,  losing  some  of  the 
bone ;  the  wound  had  never  fully  healed.  When  in  tem 
perate  regions  he  \vas  not  troubled  by  it.  The  sore  was 
an  open  one,  and  being  in  the  center  of  the  heel,  he  lost, 
for  a  time,  the  use  of  his  foot. 

On  the  same  day  at  about  5  p.  m,,  an  aurora  borealis 
was  seen.  It  was  a  faint  arch  near  the  southern  horizon 
extending  in  an  east  and  west  direction. 

After  the  cooking-stove  was  moved  into  one  of  the 
state-rooms,  the  caboose  was  used  as  an  ice-house,  and 
the  crew  were  employed  in  procuring  ice  from  the  berg. 

The  provisions  specially  brought  for  the  dogs  having 


Feeding  the  Dogs.  231 

failed,  they  were  now  fed  on  pemmican,  a  can  weighing     1871. 

November. 

forty-five  pounds  being  given  to  them  every  three  days. 
When  they  were  to  be  fed  the  whole  troop,  forty  in  num 
ber,  were  let  in  through  the  door  in  the  awning  over  the 
gangway  upon  the  deck.  The  Esquimaux  chopped  up 
the  pemmican  and  divided  it  so  as  to  give  each  dog  his 
portion.  This  was  done  in  the  port  gangway.  Two  or 
three  men  were  on  hand  to  assist  and  control  the  dogs. 
When  the  food  was  ready,  one  dog  at  a  time  was  allowed 
to  go  into  the  passage  arid  remain  there  until  he  had 
eaten  his  portion ;  when  he  had  finished  he  was  put  out 
on  the  ice  again.  It  was  always  an  exciting  time.  The 
utmost  vigilance  was  required  to  keep  the  dogs  in  order 
and  prevent  them  after  being  fed  from  rejoining  the  others 
and  getting  a  second  share.  At  times  their  attack  upon 
the  door  of  the  gangway  was  so  violent  that  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  keep  them  back.  Two  men  generally 
guarded  the  door,  armed  with  clubs,  which  they  were 
compelled  to  use  lustily  upon  the  wild  and  savage  brutes. 
It  was  exciting  sport  for  the  men,  and  although  hard  and 
dangerous  work  they  generally  enjoyed  it. 

On  the  16th,  an  elaborate  proclamation  was  prepared, 
setting  apart,  according  to  American  custom,  the  last 
Thursday  of  the  month  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving.  It 
was  posted  in  prominent  places  about  the  vessel,  and  ex 
cited  much  amusement  by  calling  forth  innumerable  jokes. 


232  Daily  Morning  Prayers. 

1871.     The  seal,  which  was  much  admired,  was  designed  and 

November. 

made  by  Mr.  Schumann. 

The  16th,  being  a  clear  day,  a  bright  arch  of  yellow 
ish  light  was  seen  over  the  southern  horizon  for  about  two 
or  three  hours  before  and  after  meridian.  When,  how 
ever,  it  was  cloudy,  no  tinge  of  daylight  was  discernible. 

On  the  17th  and  18th,  a  fresh  breeze  from  S.  S.  W. 
moderated  the  severity  of  the  temperature,  raising  the 
thermometer  above  zero.  On  the  1 8th,  the  crew  took  ad 
vantage  of  the  warm  weather  to  enjoy  themselves  upon 
the  ice.  A  large  team  of  dogs  was  harnessed  to  one  of 
the  sleds,  the  Newfoundland  dogs  being  principally  used, 
in  order  to  train  them  for  spring  work. 

Divine  service  had  been  held  on  the  12th  and  19th. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  service  on  the  latter  day,  Captain 
Budington  announced  that  the  daily  morning  prayers 
would  in  the  future  be  discontinued,  but  that  the  regular 
Sunday  services  would  remain  as  heretofore.  He  assigned 
as  a  reason  for  this  order  that  during  the  whiter  Mr. 
Bryan  would  be  engaged  in  his  duties  at  the  observatory, 
and  would  not  be  able  to  be  present. 

The  gale  from  the  northeast,  which  began  on  the 
evening  of  the  18th,  .increased  in  violence  during  the 
19th,  until  it  had  acquired  the  velocity  of  47  miles  per 
hour.  It  continued  with  that  force  all  through  the  night 

&  o 

of  the  19th,  and  on  the  20th  it  had  not  abated. 


A  Driving  Storm.  233 

At  4  a.  m.  of  the  20th,  Hermann  Siemens,  a  very     1871. 

November. 

strong  man,  going  out  upon  the  ice  to  make  his  usual  tidal 
observations,  was  literally  taken  up  by  the  storm  and 
thrown  upon  the  ice,  which  was  covered  with  water.  When 
he  recovered  from  the  shock,  he  found  that  he  was  on  his 
back  with  hands  and  feet  in  the  air;  fortunately  he  still  re 
tained  his  lantern,  which  had  not  been  extinguished.  Get 
ting  upon  his  feet,  it  was  only  with  the  greatest  difficulty 
that  he  was  able  to  force  his  way  against  the  wind  and 
reach  the  fire-hole,  and  when  there,  the  snow-drift  was  so 
severe  that  it  was  difficult  to  open  his  eyes  long  enough 
to  read  the  scale  of  the  tidal  apparatus.  The  wind  blew 
with  such  force  against  the  broadside  of  the  vessel  that 
she  was  thrown  over  on  one  side,  and  the  snow  wall  built 
around  her  was  shoved  out  and  broken.  The  open  water 
could  be  seen  within  half  a  mile. 

The  galley-stove  could  not  be  made  to  work.  The 
wind  drove  the  smoke  down  the  stack  and  filled  the  state 
room  and  alley- way,  so  that  no  one  could  remain  in  the 
stifling  atmosphere.  The  small  stoves  in  the  lower  cabin 
and  the  forecastle  were  used,  and  each  mess  prepared 
its  own  breakfast. 

Dr.  Eessels  had  been  on  watch  at  the  observatory 
since  midnight,  and  as  he  did  not  return  when  his  watch 

C5         ' 

ceased,  it  was  feared  that  something  might  have  happened 
to  him,  occasioned  by  the  storm.  At  9  a.  m.,  Mr.  Meyer 


234  A  Severe  Struggle. 

1871.     determined  to  attempt  to  go  to  the  observatory  to  bring 

November. 

the  doctor  on  board.  Deciding  to  suspend  observations 
during  the  continuance  of  the  storm,  he  bundled  up  well 
and  started,  and  after  a  severe  struggle  with  the  wind 
reached  the  shore.  The  ascent  of  the  little  hill  upon 
which  the  observatory  stood  proved  no  easy  task;  he 
was  repeatedly  driven  back. 

It  was  absolutely  impossible  for  him  to  stand  against 
the  wind,  and  even  when  creeping  up  the  hill  on  his 
hands  and  knees,  he  was  driven  back  nearly  twenty  times, 
but  by  dint  of  the  greatest  exertion  he  at  last  reached 
the  summit,  and  found  the  doctor  waiting  until  the  storm 
moderated.  He  had  been  without  fire  since  1  a.  m.  It 
was  his  intention  to  continue  the  observations  until  the 
storm  permitted  Mr.  Meyer  to  come  and  relieve  him. 
While  Mr.  Meyer  was  there,  the  wind  blew  more  violently 
than  ever.  He  made  several  determinations  of  the 
velocity,  which,  after  it  exceeded  fifty-two  miles  per 
hour,  he  was  unable  to  measure. 

The  current-meter  was  broken  so  that  it  could  not  be 
used.  The  anemometer's  cups  were  whirling  around  at 
an  amazing  speed,  but  it  was  not  possible  to  stand  before 
the  wind  long  enough  to  read  the  indications  of  the 
instrument.  The  temperature  was  more  than  20°  below 
zero;  and  the  strong  wind  greatly  increased  the  sensation 
of  cold.  In  addition  to  this  the  snow  was  drifting.  The 


Anxiety  Relieved.  235 

air  was  filled  with  cold,  hard  snow-flakes  and  the  small     1871. 

November. 

icy  crystals  which  make  up  the  snow-drifts.  These  had 
been  torn  from  the  surface  of  the  high  land  to  the  north, 
and  were  being  borne  along  at  a  speed  of  nearly  a  mile 
a  minute.  To  stand  with  unprotected  face  against  these 
sharp  and  angular  atoms  driven  with  such  force,  was  no 
easy  task. 

Mr.  Meyer's  progress  was  closely  watched  from  the 
vessel,  and  great  relief  was  felt  wrhen,  at  last,  he  was  seen 
to  enter  the  observatory.  After,  however,  one-half  hour 
elapsed  without  his  re-appearing  with  the  doctor,  Captain 
Budington  began  to  fear  lest  the  doctor  was  in  trouble. 
Pie  accordingly  sent  the  two  Esquimaux  to  see  that  all 
was  right,  and,  if  so,  to  signal  at  once  to  relieve  his 
anxiety.  They  had  less  difficulty  than  Mr.  Meyer  in 
accomplishing  the  distance,  because  they  knew  better  how 
to  battle  with  the  strong  wind.  On  arriving  at  the  ob 
servatory  they  sent  back  the  welcome  signal,  "All's  well." 

Soon  the  four  men  were  seen  coming  over  in  pairs. 
As  they  reached  the  brow  of  the  little  hill  the  wind 
threw  them  down  the  declivity  on  which  not  even  the 
Esquimaux  were  able  to  walk.  They  were  hurried  along 
by  the  wind  over  the  level  ice,  and  reached  the  vessel 
about  10.30  a.  m.,  where  they  were  warmly  welcomed. 
They  did  not  escape  without  some  injury;  all  being 
frost-bitten  with  the  exception  of  Hans.  Dr.  Bessels' 


236  An  Anxious  Day. 

1871.     ear    was    nipped.      Mr.    Meyer    appeared    with    frozen 

November. 

eyelids  and  hands,  while  Joe's  right  cheek  was  whitened 
by  the  frost.  Mr.  Meyer  was  not  as  well  protected  as 
the  others,  and  his  frost-bites  were  much  more  severe ; 
he  felt  great  pain  from  them  all  day.  Such  was  the 
severity  of  the  storm  that  even  the  poor  dogs  suffered 
greatly.  Their  howls  of  distress  so  affected  the  men  that 
the  door  was  opened  and  they  were  all  allowed  to  come 
on  deck,  where  they  were  protected  from  the  wind. 

It  was  a  day  of  anxiety.  The  creaking  of  the  masts 
and  the  howling  of  the  wind  through  the  rigging  proved 
that  the  storm  still  continued  to  rage.  In  the  lower  cabin 
the  rocking  of  the  vessel  was  felt,  and  so  also  the  grinding 
in  her  icy  cradle.  The  heavy  canvas  awnings  covering 
the  vessel  made,  when  shaken  by  the  wind,  a  sound  like 
thunder.  The  gale  lasted  until  3  in  the  afternoon,  when 
it  began  to  moderate ;  at  9  p.  m.,  it  recommenced  in  all 
its  force,  although  the  barometer  had  risen ;  at  midnight 
the  wind  blew,  if  possible,  harder  than  before,  and  the 
barometer  fell  again. 

At  1  a.  m.  of  the  21st,  the  vessel  began  to  feel 
the  motion  of  the  open  water  not  far  distant.  The  dark 
ness  was  increased  by  the  heavy  drift  of  snow,  so  that 
nothing  could  be  seen  outside  of  the  awnings.  During 
the  lulls  of  the  storm  the  cracking  of  the  ice  around  the 
vessel  was  distinguished.  At  2.30  a.  m.,  a  severe  shock 


Adrift.  237 

occurred,  which  startled    everybody.     It   was   soon  dis-     1871. 

November. 

covered  that  the  ship  was  afloat,  and  free  from  the 
ice.  Her  motion  was  so  great  as  to  render  it  difficult  to 
read  the  barometer.  The  heavy  snow  wall  which  had 
been  built  close  around  the  ship  broke  through  the  ice, 
leaving  her  surrounded  by  water.  At  7  a.  m.,  the  two 
natives  were  sent  to  the  observatory  to  obtain  the  current 
meter,  and  were  told  to  see  whether  Providence  Berg  was 
still  in  its  place;  they  soon  returned  with  a  favorable 
report;  this  was  a  great  relief. 

The  vessel  was  repeatedly  driven  against  the  ice 
with  severe  shocks.  Finally,  at  8  a.  m.,  the  ice  broke  up 
and  was  earned  away.  Absolutely  nothing  could  be  seen 
at  a  distance  of  five  paces.  The  ship  being  free,  the 
chain,  which  had  been  left  in  the  locker  when  the  vessel 
was  first  frozen  in,  was  bent,  and  the  anchor  got  ready. 
Preparations  were  made  to  veer  the  other  chain.  The 
depth  of  water  was  found  to  be  eight  fathoms  forward,  and 
six  aft.  The  hand  at  the  drift-lead  soon  after  reported 
eleven,  twelve,  and  twelve  and  a  half  fathoms ;  the  ship 
was  adrift. 

The  order  was  immediately  given  to  let  go  the 
starboard  anchor,  whicli  was  the  best  bower.  After  a 
little  while  she  brought  up.  Not  taking  the  chain,  it  was 
evident  that  she  was  not  riding  by  her  anchor;  and  upon 
further  examination  it  was  found  that  she  had  brought  up 


238  Dangerous  Duty. 

1871.     against  Providence  Berg,  which  saved  the  vessel  from  being 

November. 

carried  into  the  pack.  The  captain  proceeded  at  once  to 
get  out  his  ice-anchors  and  to  secure  the  ship  to  the  berg. 
He  hesitated  about  ordering  men  to  this  duty,  made  per 
ilous  by  the  darkness  of  the  night,  the  extreme  violence  of 
the  wind,  and  the  steep  and  slippery  surface  of  the  berg. 

William  Nindemann  first  offered  himself  for  the  dan 
gerous  duty;  immediately  all  the  others  stepped  forward, 
not  one  holding  back.  Protected  as  well  as  he  could  be 
by  skin  clothing,  Nindemann  climbed  out  the  forward 
port-hole  on  the  starboard  side,  and  reaching  a  projecting 
piece  of  the  berg,  began  to  ascend  its  side.  The  Esqui 
maux  accompanied  him.  The  side  was  so  steep  that  he 
was  compelled  to  cut  steps  in  the  ice  with  a  hatchet. 
In  order  to  light  them  at  their  work,  a  large  pan  con 
taining  tarred  rope  saturated  with  kerosene  oil  was  set 
out  on  the  ledge  of  the  berg.  When  one  anchor  was 
firmly  planted  in  the  berg,  and  the  vessel  secured  to  it  by 
a  hawser,  great  relief  was  felt ;  to  complete  the  security, 
two  other  anchors  were  made  ready,  and  three  seamen 
volunteered  to  assist  in  planting  them. 

All  this  occupied  a  long  time,  and  it  was  not  until  1 
p.  m.,  that  the  hands  turned  in.  The  captain  decided  to 
hold  on  to  the  berg,  even  if  it  should  go  adrift.  Ninde 
mann  and  one  of  the  natives  were  frost-bitten  during  their 
exposure,  but  not  seriously. 


UNJVKIfSI  i'Y  OF 


Effects  of  the  Storm.  239 

Outside   the   vessel   the    commotion  still  continued. 


November. 

The  sound  of  the  water  dashing  against  the  ship's  side  was 
threatening  ;  the  shocks  of  the  vessel  against  the  berg  were 
alarming.  Notwithstanding  the  heavy  strain,  however, 
the  hawsers  held  famously.  About  2  p.  m.,  the  gale 
moderated  and  the  watch  below  were  allowed  to  turn  in. 

Early  the  next  morning,  Hans,  Kruger,  and  Ninde- 
mann  went  on  shore  to  see  the  effect  of  the  storm  upon 
the  observatory.  They  walked  to  the  shore  upon  the 
ice  still  fast  to  the  berg.  The  tidal  apparatus  was  found 
uninjured,  and  Hans's  sled  was  safe.  Two  sleds,  one  of 
which  had  been  on  board  the  relief-ship,  under  Captain 
Hartstene,  were  lost,  besides  several  small  articles  left  on 
the  ice  about  the  ship.  Mr.  Bryan,  with  Joe,  went  on 
shore  to  secure  the  magnetic  instruments,  which  had  been 
reported  as  exposed.  The  wind  and  drift  had  worn 
away  the  snow  houses  and  rilled  them  with  snow.  The 
declinometer  was  thrown  from  the  stand,  but  all  its  parts 
were  found  except  the  carriage  for  the  magnet.  The 
observatory  was  standing,  but  completely  buried;  an 
entrance  could  be  effected  only  by  digging  through  a  snow 
bank  six  feet  deep.  Two  dogs  were  missed,  and  at  first 
it  was  supposed  that  they  were  lost,  but  upon  its  being 
suggested  that  they  might  have  taken  refuge  in  the  dog 
house  on  shore,  the  bank,  covering  the  entrance  was  dug 
away  and  the  dogs  were  found. 


240  An  Aurora. 

1871-  It  was  a  question  whether  to  haul  the  ship  hack  to 

November. 

her  former  place.  She  was,  however,  moved  a  short  dis 
tance,  so  as  to  lie  against  the  berg.  The  gale  abated,  but 
the  sea  continued,  and  prevented  the  water  from  freezing. 
The  evening  was  clear  and  bright.  The  moon  shone 
quietly  upon  a  scene  which  the  day  before  had  been  wild 
and  threatening. 

During  the  whole  of  the  23d.  it  was  calm  and  clear. 

o  ' 

and  a  thin- film  of  ice  formed  on  the  surface  of  the  water. 

On  the  24th,  the  scientific  observations,  interrupted 
by  the  storm,  were  resumed.  A  supply  of  ice  was  ob 
tained  from  the  berg  by  sliding  blocks  down  its  side  into 
the  port-hole.  The  temperature  of  the  external  air  was 
— 23°  Fahrenheit,  while  that  within  the  canvas  awnings 
was  only  — 8°.  The  new  ice  about  the  vessel  had 
acquired  the  thickness  of  five  inches.  The  open  water 
was  about  two  miles  from  the  vessel,  but  the  west  side 
of  the  straits  appeared  to  be  full  of  heavy  pack,  accu 
mulated  during  the  gale. 

In  the  evening  an  aurora  was  visible.  The  forms 
assumed  by  it  were  peculiar,  resembling  in  appearance 
and  shape  those  called  electric  clouds.  At  times  an 
arch  was  formed  extending  from  horizon  to  horizon  and 
passing  nearly  through  the  zenith.  The  arches  were 
apparently  narrow^  and  the  clouds  thin  and  wanting 
in  uniformity.  The  densest  parts  were  the  brightest. 


A  Dock.  241 

The  arches  were  completed  by  the  addition  of  parts  which     1871. 

November. 

at  first  appeared  detached.  They  were  formed  in  various 
ways.  A  hand  starting  up  from  the  horizon  would  receive 
a  series  of  additions  until  it  spanned  the  vault.  Two 
hands  rising  from  opposite  points  would  extend,  complet 
ing  the  arch.  They  disappeared  in  as  many  various  ways 
as  they  were  formed ;  hut  always  as  gradually  as  they 
came.  The  most  attentive  listener  could  not  hear  any 
sound.  There  was  no  marked  disturbance  of  the  magnetic 
needle  either  before,  during,  or  after  the  phenomenon. 
The  stars  were  seen  through  the  clouds.  The  electroscope 
did  not  indicate  any  changes  of  electricity  during  their 
continuance. 

The  vessel  was  exposed  to  the  floes  driven  in  from 
the  straits,  and  the  captain  determined  to  bring  her  more 
under  the  protection  of  Providence  Berg.  The  men  were 
set  to  work  on  the  25th,  .sawing  a  dock  in  the  young  ice, 
already  seven  inches  in  thickness.  The  moon  shone  so 
brightly  that  it  was  convenient  to  work  by  her  light  alone. 
The  vessel  had  drifted  against  the  northeastern  side  of  the 

o 

berg,  leaving  her  stern  exposed  to  the  attack  of  the  floes. 
The  dock  being  sawed,  she  w^as  moved  ahead  eighty  feet, 
and  fifty  feet  from  the  berg,  where  it  was  hoped  she 
would  stay  during  the  remainder  of  the  winter,  as  she- 
was  lying  under  the  protection  of  the  berg  and  at  a  safe 
distance  from  it.  The  ship  had  run  a  narrow  chance  of 

16 


242  Seal- Traps. 

1871.     being  carried  out  into  the  channel,  where  she  would  have 

November. 

been  exposed  to  serious  injury,  and  would  certainly  have 
been  carried  south,  in  which  case  little  or  nothing  could 
have  been  effected  toward  the  objects  of  the  expedition. 
The  position  was  regarded  for  the  moment  as  secure ;  but 
it  will  soon  be  seen  how  little  this  conclusion  was  justified. 

On  the  26th,  Divine  service  was  held  in  the  lower 
cabin,  which  was  more  convenient  because  larger.  The 
ice  commotion  in  the  straits  still  continued,  the  sounds  of 
which  were  distinctly  heard  during  the  whole  day. 

On  the  morning  of  the  27th,  the  moon  shone  with 
such  peculiar  distinctness,  and  poured  such  a  flood  of  light 
upon  the  scene,  as  to  turn  night  into  day.  A  well-defined 
halo  of  22°  radius  encircled  her  disk,  and  during  a  part  of 
the  morning  mock-moons  also,  were  plainly  visible.  The 
one  below,  and  those  at  each  side  of  the  moon,  exhibited 
prismatic  colors;  they  were  very  beautiful,  but  were  soon 
effaced  by  the  clouds. 

Hans  had  not  been  idle  since  the  young  ice  had  been 
thick  enough  to  bear  him.  He  had  set  many  seal-traps, 
and,  visited  them  twice  a  day,  but  did  not,  however, 
succeed  in  catching  any.  Mauch,  in  his  journal  of  this 
date,  says  that  he  accompanied  Hans  on  his  rounds,  and 
after  finding  that  no  game  was  caught,  proposed  to  go  out 
into  the  straits  and  examine  closely  the  formation  of  the 
hummocks.  He  could  hear  distinctly  a  noise  resembling 


A  Southwest  Gale.  243 

the  mutterings  of  thunder,  produced  by  the  ke  in  motion,     1871. 

November. 

and  he  proposed  to  go  to  the  very  spot  where  the  noise 
originated.  He  reached  the  point  after  a  brisk  walk  of 
half  an  hour,  and  there  saw  a  large  floe  in  motion,  break 
ing  its  way  through  the  young  ice.  It  was  moving 
quite  rapidly,  piling  up  the  ice  in  every  direction,  some 
times  in  slabs  as  high  as  20  feet,  and  making  a  great 
noise. 

The  spring-tide  occurring  on  the  26th,  increased  the 
commotions  of  the  ice  near  the  vessel ;  water  rose  above 
its  surface.  This  caused  no  uneasiness. 

A  light  breeze  from  the  south  sprang  up  at  5  a  in. 
of  the  28th.  The  temperature  rose  rapidly  to  six  degrees 
below  zero  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  barometer  fell. 
These  changes  indicated  a  gale  from  the  southwest;  at  11 
a.  m.,  it  set  in,  forcing  the  pack  toward  the  vessel.  The 
young  ice  was  broken  in  many  places,  and  hummocks 
formed.  Near  the  stern  of  the  vessel  the  ice  was  cracked, 
and  hummocks  rose  there  also.  The  gale  continued  to 
increase  in  violence,  until  at  1  p.  m.  it  had  acquired  the 
velocity  of  42  miles  an  hour.  When  it  first  began,  it  was 
apparent  that  snow  was  falling  heavily;  but  as  the  wind 
increased,  it  was  impossible  to  tell  whether  it  was  fresh 
snow,  or  drift.  The  air  was  filled  with  flakes. 

At  7  p.  m.,  the  storm  increased  in  violence,  and  the 
ice  began  to  pile  up  against  the  outer  part  of  the  berg. 


244  A  Perilous  Situation. 

1871.     The  noise  was  alarming,  and  the  disturbance  approached 

November. 

the  vessel  nearer  than  before.  A  visit  to  the  top  of  the 
berg  was  made  by  Mauch  at  9  p.  m.  Huge  pieces  of  ice, 
moving  under  the  pressure  of  the  wind,  were  driven  toward 
Providence  Berg,  and  forced  in,  on  either  side,  upon  the 
shore.  The  immense  pressure  was  at  length  too  great  for 
the  berg ;  it  was  broken  into  two  parts  between  which 
the  ice  was  forced  until  they  were  separated  by  a  distance 
of  8  feet.  This  event  created  some  anxiety.  The  dogs 
were  taken  on  board,  and  several  preparations  were  made 
for  the  approaching  crisis. 

At  11  p.  m.,  the  berg  was  found  to  be  in  motion 
and  the  vessel  immediately  felt  the  pressure.  One  part 
of  the  berg  being  smaller,  moved  more  rapidly  than  the 
other.  In  the  interval  before  the  berg  reached  the  ship 
the  strongest  man  held  his  breath,  for  it  really  seemed 
that  she  must  be  crushed  in  the  same  manner  as  the  ice 
alongside.  When  it  reached  the  vessel,  she  bore  for  a 
time  its  great  pressure  without  yielding — but  groaning 
under  the  immense  strain.  Several  times  it  was  thought 
that  the  ice  had  been  forced  through  her  side.  Captain 
Budington  remarked  that  the  Polaris  stood  the  pressure 
heroically,  but  that  no  vessel  could  possibly  long  hold 
together  in  her  position.  The  wind  at  the  time  was 
blowing  at  the  rate  of  47  miles  per  hour,  and  the  air  was 
filled  with  drifting  snow. 


The  Dangerous  Berg.  245 

When  the  berg  first  came  in  contact  with  the  ship,     1871. 

November. 

a  large  tongue  of  ice  below  the  water  was  forced  under 
the  bows  of  the  vessel,  raising  her  somewhat,  and  with 
the  help  of  the  wind  giving  her  a  cant.  This  probably 
saved  her.  The  result  was  that  the  ice  between  the  ship 
and  the  shore  broke,  and  the  vessel  began  to  move  with 
the  berg  toward  the  shore,  still  laboring  heavily. 

The  opinion  of  Siemens  was  undoubtedly  correct: 
"Had  the  ice,  lee-side  of  the  berg,  been  equally  strong 
as  that  on  the  weather  side,  the  ship  would  surely  have 
been  cut  through  or  thrown  on  her  beam-ends."  Even  as 
it  was,  the  vessel  was  greatly  strained,  and  if  she  had  not 
been  exceedingly  well  built,  the  pressure  would  have  been 
fatal. 

The  berg  moved  in  toward  the  shore,  shoving  the 
little  Polaris  before  it,  until  2  a.  m.  of  the  29th.  At  this 
time  the  tide  turned,  and  as  the  berg  would  take  the  ground 
on  the  ebb  the  fear  of  a  fatal  accident  was  allayed.  The 
people,  worn  out  with  labor  and  watching,  were  allowed 
to  go  below,  leaving  a  sufficient  number  on  deck.  The 
engineer  made  a  careful  examination  of  the  propeller,  and 
found  that  it  had  suffered  no  injury. 

At  3  a.  m.,  the  berg  had  firmly  grounded.  The 
falling  tide  was  not,  however,  sufficient  to  overcome  the 
momentum  of  the  pack.  It  still  continued  to  press  upon 
the  berg,  and,  not  being  able  to  push  it  forward,  began 


246  Fright  of  the  Esquimaux. 

1871.     to  raise  it  up.     A  new  danger  appeared:  the  berg  threat- 
November. 

ened  to  turn  over  and  crush  the  ship.  But  at  5  a.  m.,  the 
gale  hegan  to  moderate,  and  the  pressure  upon  the  berg 
was  so  much  diminished  that  it  recovered  its  equilibrium. 

Soon,  however,  other  alarming  circumstances  appeared. 
As  the  tide  fell,  the  stern  of  the  vessel  sank,  leaving  the 
bow  4  feet  higher.  At  the  same  time  she  heeled  over  to 
port  so  much  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  walk  the 
deck.  The  captain,  who  had  been  in  his  berth  about  two 
hours,  was  called.  He  saw  that  nothing  was  to  be  done, 
and  after  relieving  their  apprehensions  sent  the  people 
again  below.  When  the  tide  rose,  the  ship  came  to  an 
even  keel.  During  the  gale,  the  temperature  had  risen 
considerably  above  zero,  but  when  it  ceased,  the  mercury 
again  fell  below. 

The  natives  were  very  much  frightened  at  the  ship's 
position,  and  asked  permission  to  go  on  shore,  which  was 
granted.  To  the  surprise  of  Mr.  Meyer  \vho  had  remained 
on  shore  during  the  storm,  they  appeared  at  the  -door  of 
the  observatory.  The  women  and  children,  with  their 
loads  of  bedding  and  skins,  crowded  into  the  little  room, 
persuaded  that  the  vessel  would  be  destroyed.  Notwith 
standing  the  odors  which  they  brought  with  them,  Mr. 
Meyer  received  them  graciously,  and  gave  them  a  share 
of  his  small  establishment  In  the  afternoon  the  Esqui 
maux  built  two  snow  houses,  meaning  to  live  on  shore. 


Thanksgiving  Day.  247 

The  30th  was  the  day  set  apart  by  proclamation,     1871. 

November. 

as  has  been  mentioned,  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving.  It 
was  calm  and  clear.  The  ice  was  still,  and  the  vessel 
lay  quietly  against  the  berg.  Just  having  escaped  from 
two  great  dangers  the  crew  was  prepared  for  a  general 
thanksgiving.  No  work  was  done,  and  the  whole  day 
was  given  up  to  amusement.  It  had  been  the  intention 
to  have  some  sort  of  theatrical  performance  or  minstrel 
entertainment,  but  the  gale  interfered  with  the  preliminary 
practice,  and  it  was  given  up.  In  the  forenoon  nuts 
of  different  kinds — hickory,  hazel,  walnut,  pecan,  and 
almonds — were  distributed  among  the  people. 

Dinner,  however,  was  the  great  event  of  the  day. 
The  steward  and  cook  exerted  their  best  skill  and  ingenu 
ity  in  preparing  the  difierent  courses.  Considering  the 
means  at  their  command,  they  did  extremely  well,  and  the 
result  of  their  labors  was  greatly  relished.  The  fare  was 
as  follows :  Oyster-soup,  lobster,  turkey,  different  kinds  of 
meats,  vegetables  (the  favorite  being  green  pease),  a  very 
fine  plum-duff,  apple  and  cherry  pie,  North  Pole  cake, 
mits,  raisins,  and  wine-punch.  Much  time  was  spent 
at  the  table,  and  the  dinner  was  greatly  enjoyed.  It  was 
set  in  the  lower  cabin. 

In  the  evening,  coffee  and  chocolate  were  served. 
The  men  got  up  a  little  diversion,  in  which,  as  every 
one  wras  inclined  to  be  merry,  all  took  part.  Two  of  the 


248  A  Notable  Procession. 

1871.     men  were   placed  in  position  and  covered  over  so  as  to 

November. 

represent  a  donkey.  Hans's  little  boy  'Toby"  was 
placed  on  tbe  back  of  the  animal  and  ridden  about  tbe 
vessel's  deck.  Peter  Johnson  was  the  manager,  and  con 
trolled  the  movements  of  the  beast  with  great  skill. 
Noah  Hayes  headed  the  procession  with  his  fiddle,  to  the 
sound  of  which  the  animal  and  its  driver  marched, 
.followed  by  the  other  men.  The  after-guard  were 
invited  to  watch  the  performances.  Great  amusement 
was  afforded  and  many  jokes  were  given  and  received. 
Borne  one  remarked  that  there  was  a  waste  of  material 
in  the  formation  of  the  animal. 


The  quantity  of  coal  used  during  November  was 
6,334  pounds,  distributed  as  follows  : 

Founds. 

Berth-deck 1,  604 

Cabin  .  1,516. 

Galley 2,186 

Observatory  ...  ..1,028 

This  increase  of  1,596  pounds  over  the  quantity  con 
sumed  during  October,  is  attributable  not  only  to  the  lower 
temperatures  during  November,  but  also  to  the  kind  of 
coal  that  was  used.  It  was  decided  that  the  soft  bitumi 
nous  coal  purchased  at  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  could 


Anthracite  and  Bituminous  Goal. 


249 


be  used  with  greater  economy  in  the  small  stoves  than  in     1871. 

November. 

the  furnaces.  Hence,  during  November,  the  soft  coal  had 
been  used  exclusively,  in  order  to  save  the  anthracite  for 
steaming  purposes. 


XI. 


CHAPTER    XI. 


No  very  striking  event  broke  the  monotony  of  life  on     1871. 

December. 

shipboard  during  the  month  of  December.  The  vessel 
continued  in  the  same  position,  leaning  against  the  berg, 
with  her  bow  perched  upon  its  tongue.  This  situation 
was  by  no  means  desirable  or  comfortable.  The  ice 
about  the  stern  had  been  piled  up  very  high  during  the 
great  pressure  from  the  pack  on  the  28th  of  November, 
and  it  was  impossible  to  effect  any  change  of  position. 
During  high  tide  it  made  little  difference,  as  the  vessel 

O  O  ' 

was  then  nearly  on  an  even  keel ;  but  at  low  tide  the  list 
was  exceedingly  disagreeable.  Those  who  had  bunks  on 
the  port  side  did  not  mind  it  much ;  but  on  the  other  side 
it  was  often  a  hard  matter  to  keep  in  the  berths.  A 
new  fire-hole  was  made  on  the  2d,  and  the  tidal  appara 
tus  erected  over  it.  The  tidal  observations  were  resumed, 
after  a  suspension  of  fourteen  days.  The  seamen,  when 
not  employed  about  the  ship,  amused  themselves  in 
various  ways. 


254  The  Crew. 

1871.  On  the  2d,  the  weather  being  calm  and  the  tempera- 

December. 

ture  not  very  low  (about  — 7°),  the  men  were  engaged  in 
out-door  sports.  Some  were  driving  about  the  ice,  having 
harnessed  several  of  the  dogs  to  sleds ;  others  were 
coasting,  near  the  observatory ;  while  others  again  amused 
themselves  constructing  small  sleds  in  the  fire-room, 
which  had  been  turned  into  a  carpenter's  shop.  In  their 
cabins  they  whiled  away  the  time  with  cards,  dominoes, 
checkers,  and  chess.  The  ship's  company  had  been  well 
selected.  They  were  large  and  strong,  understood  then- 
business,  and  were  highly  esteemed  by  the  officers. 
Mr.  Chester,  the  first  mate,  writes  about  them  in  the 
log-book:  "Our  seamen  are  a  busy  set  of  mortals.  Go 
into  their  quarters  at  any  hour  between  8  a.  m.  and 
10  p.  m.,  when  they  are  not  at  work  on  deck,  and  you 
will  find  them  busy  on  various  branches  of  work,  such  as 
shoemaking,  patching,  whittling  out  and  rigging  minia 
ture  ships,  'and,  in  fact,  sailorizing  of  all  sorts  ;  and,  what 
is  better,  perfect  harmony  prevailing  among  them.  -  They 
are  all  good  men.  A  better  crew  I  don't  think  could  have 
been  found  for  an  expedition  like  this.  They  keep  clean 
and  take  good  care  of  themselves.  Everything  about 
their  quarters  looks  clean  and  neat.  There  is  not  much 
danger  of  such  men  being  troubled  with  scurvy." 

Divine   service  was  held  every  Sunday,  and,  as  a 
rule,  all  the  ship's  company  attended.     Between  three 


Halo.  255 

and   four  o'clock   on  the   afternoon   of  the  2d,  a  most     1871. 

December. 

heautiful  halo  encircled  the  moon.  The  sky  was  clear 
and  the  circle  of  light  was  as  bright  as  the  moon  herself. 
Vertical  and  horizontal  rays  extended  from  the  moon  to 
the  halo,  forming  a  perfect  cross.  At  first  this  was  faint, 
but  it  gradually  increased  in  brightness,  lasting  about 
fifteen  minutes,  and  slowly  disappearing-.  The  brightest 
portions  were  the  cross  and  the  spots  where  it  met  the 
circle  of  light.  The  next  day  a  similar  phenomenon  was 
observed  about  6.30  p.  m.  The  sky  was,  however,  then 
overcast,  and  the  air  was  misty.  The  cross  was  very  plain, 
although  not  so  bright  as  on  the  2d.  There  was  no  halo, 
but  a  bright  spot  to  the  east  of  the  moon,  forming  a 
mock-moon,  indicated  where  the  circle  would  be. 

On  the  4th,  Hannah  commenced  making  skin 
clothing  for  the  use  of  those  who  were  going  on  sledge- 
journeys  in  the  spring.  Mrs.  Hans  Hendrick  did  not  dis 
play  any  anxiety  to  assist  Hannah  in  these  labors ;  she 
probably  felt  that  all  her  time  should  be  occupied  in  the 
care  of  her  children.  By  the  10th,  all  the  dog-skins  had 
been  washed  and  prepared  for  making  up  into  garments. 
Captain  Budington  remarks  in  his  journal  of  this  date: 
"All  possible  preparations  are  being  made  to  succeed  with 
our  sledge-parties  next  spring.  The  time  is  passing  very 
rapidly,  and  we  must  be  prepared  at  as  soon  a  time  as 
possible,  so  as  not  to  miss  the  best  period  for  traveling — 


256  Severe  Exposure. 

1871.     «the  months  of  April  and  June."     On  the    6th,   about 

December. 

2  a.  m.,  Dr.  Bessels  started  over  to  the  observatory, 
it  being  his  tour  of  duty.  A  wind  sprung  up  accompanied 
with  heavy  snow-drift.  He  lost  his  way,  and  after 
wandering  around  among  the  hummocks  for  some  time, 
concluded  that  it  was  useless  ,to  attempt  to  find  the 
observatory  while  the  snow-drift  continued.  He  accord 
ingly  sought  shelter  under  the  lee  of  an  iceberg  and  waited 
there  for  the  storm  to  abate.  While  there  he  kept 
account  of  the  changes  in  the  direction  of  the  wind, 
which  were  duly  recorded.  After  four  hours'  exposure, 
at  6  a.  m.,  he  reached  the  observatory ;  strange  to  say, 
he  did  not  suffer  any  ill  effects  from  this  exposure.  To 
prevent  the  recurrence  of  such  an  accident,  the  captain 
directed  that  a  line  should  be  stretched  from  the  ship  to  the 
observatory.  The  natives  built  snow  pillars  at  intervals 
of  thirty  or  forty  feet,  on  which  a  wire,  covered  with 
rubber,  was  stretched;  the  wire  had  been  put  on  board 
the  vessel  for  contingencies. 

o 

At  noon  of  the  6th,  the  twilight  arch  was  ascer 
tained  by  measurement  to  have  the  height  of  3°  16'.  A 
remarkable  change  of  temperature  had  taken  place  during 
the  5th  instant.  When  the  breeze  from  the  southwest 
set  in,  the  temperature  rose  in  a  single  hour  from  — 3°  F. 
to+9°F.;  it  subsequently  rose  as  high  as  +14°,  the 
highest  temperature  observed  during  the  month.  On  the 


Auroras.  257 

10th,  the  mercury  rose  to  -fll°  from  — 3°.     During  the     1871. 

December. 

first  half  of  the  month  the  temperature  ranged  quite  high, 
the  lowest  being  — 24°;  on  the  7th  and  8th,  the  tempera 
ture  was  below  — 20°;  the  mean  was  about  — 11°.  The 
last  half  of  the  month  was,  however,  much  colder.  With 
the  exception  of  the  warm  spell  about  the  19th,  the 
temperature  was  nearly  always  below  — 20°;  the  lowest, 
on  the  25th,  being  —33°. 

The  meteorological  observations  were  recommenced 
after  the  storm  of  the  21st  of  November.  Mr.  Meyer 
remained  at  the  observatory  for  sixteen  hours,  and  Dr. 
Bessels  the  remaining  eight,  each  day.  Mr.  Meyer's  spare 
time  at  the  observatory  was  employed  in  mathematical 
studies.  He  was  an  ardent,  laborious  student.  He  usu 
ally  made  all  the  observations  from  9  a.  m.  to  midnight, 
inclusive.  On  the  10th,  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
day  a  faint  aurora  was  visible.  Toward  evening  it  be 
came  more  brilliant,  and  underwent  a  variety  of  changes. 
At  one  time  it  was  in  the  form  of  an  arch  stretching  from 
S.  W.  to  N.  W.,  and  rising  to  an  elevation  of  about  20°. 
Hermann  Siemens  says:  "We  also  saw  numerous  shoot 
ing-stars,  sometimes  forming,  as  it  were,  a  silver  thread, 
from  the  point  where  they  first  appeared  to  that  of  disap 
pearance;  in  a  few  instances  I  have  seen  small  fire-balls 
pushing  out  from  them,  similar  to  those  of  a  rocket." 

On  the  evening  of  the  16th;  there  was  a  brilliant  dis- 

17 


258  The  Ice  of  the  Straits. 

1871.  play  of  auroral  action;  innumerable  rays  shot  up  from  the 
r*  southern  horizon,  some  of  which  passed  through  the  zenith 
to  the  northern  horizon.  They  were  constantly  changing ; 
the  northern  rays  disappearing,  and  the  southern  collect 
ing  in  the  S.  E.,  and  moving  rapidly  to  the  S.  W ,  where 
they  vanished. 

On  the  17th  and  18th  also,  auroral  displays  were 
seen.  No  color  was  observed  in  any  of  these  phenomena. 
They  lasted  several  days,  varying  from  day  to  day  in 
form  and  motion. 

The  ice  in  the  straits  continued  loose ;  the  least 
atmospheric  disturbance  was  sufficient  to  set  large  masses 
of  it  in  motion.  On  the  9th  of  the  month,  the  noise 
could  be  heard  at  the  ship. 

On  the  8th,  the  land  on  the  west  side  could  be  seen 
notwithstanding  the  polar  night.  Cape  Lieber,  the  most 
northern  land  visited  by  Dr.  Hayes,  was  in  clear  view,  as 
well  as  land  to  the  north  and  south  of  it. 

On  the  10th,  open  water  was  observed  two  or  three 
miles  distant.  This  was  the  period  of  springs.  The  ice 
about  the  shore  was  piled  up  in  great  confusion;  but  such 
was  the  accumulation  about  the  berg  that  no  apprehen 
sion  of  its  moving  was  felt. 

At  times,  and  particularly  on  the  15th,  a  water-cloud 
over  the  patches  of  open  water  in  the  straits  obscured 
from  view  the  coast  of  Griimcll  Land. 


Heavy  Pressure.  259 

On  the  17th,  the  open  water  was  only  one  mile  dis-     1871. 

December. 

tant;  the  space  it  covered  could  not  he  distinguished  from 
the  deck.  On  the  19th,  the  pack  was  driven  in  by  a 
westwardly  wind,  and  this  open  space  was  closed. 

On  the  llth,  the  Polaris  labored  greatly;  the  creak 
ing  of  her  timbers  as  she  moved  up  and  down  against 
the  berg  sounded  like  volleys  of  musketry. 

On  the  13th,  Captain  Budington  remarks  in  his  jour 
nal:  "The  berg,  which  is  continually  breaking  in  pieces 
(i.  e.,  from  which  pieces  are  continually  broken),  is  pressed 
more  towards  the  vessel.  An  old  floe  rests  right  against 
it  on  the  sea  side,  and  to  the  right  and  left  of  this  floe  the 
hummocks  are  piled  up  to  the  height  of  thirty  feet  above 
the  sea-level ;  some  pretty  near  as  high  as  the  berg 
itself."  The  effect  of  this  constant  pressure  was  to  raise 
the  vessel  still  higher,  increasing  her  inclination  at  low 
tide.  Thus  her  condition  became  worse  and  worse  as  the 
winter  advanced. 

The  snow  houses  built  by  the  natives  after  the  south 
west  gale  of  November  28th  were  never  occupied;  in 
a  few  days  after  the  storm  had  subsided  they  became 
re-assured  and  were  content  to  remain  on  board. 

In  the  mean  time  the  ice  was  accumulating  in  the 
berths.  This  could  not  be  otherwise ;  being  against  the 
sides  of  the  ship,  the  berths  could  not  be  kept  warm 
enough  by  the  heat  from  the  small  cabin-stoves. 


260  Making  Sleds. 

1871.  Before  the  vessel  broke  adrift  she  was  surrounded  by 

December. 

a  very  deep  snow  wall,  which  kept  the  berths  much 
warmer.  The  difference  caused  by  the  absence  of  this 
s-now  wall  was  shown  by  the  thermometer.  Several  ther 
mometers  placed  in  a  box  near  the  stern  were  read  three 
times  a  day  for  the  captain's  journal  and  the  log-book. 
While  the  snow  was  about  the  vessel  the  readings  agreed 
exactly  with  those  of  the  instruments  at  the  observatory. 
When,  however,  the  snow  wall  ceased  to  exist,  the 
instruments  at  the  ship  read  from  2°  to  4°  higher,  in 
consequence  of  which  simultaneous  observations  were  dis 
continued.  In  the  forecastle  the  same  difficulty  did  not 
exist.  On  each  side  were  the  coal-bunkers,  and  thus  a  large 
body  of  air  was  between  the  sides  of  the  ship  and  the  bulk 
heads,  against  which  the  seamen's  bunks  were  built.  In 
the  lower  cabin  there  was  not  much  ice,  for,  although  the 
berths  were  against  the  vessel's  sides,  they  were  somewhat 
protected.  In  the  upper  cabin  the  trouble  was  the  greatest. 
On  the  llth,  the  carpenter  was  set  to  work  making 
sleds  for  spring  travel.  The  starboard  alley-way  having 
been  given  up  as  a  dining-saloon  was  turned  into  a  car 
penter-shop,  and  here  the  carpenter  worked  for  several 
hours  each  day.  The  alley-way  received  some  heat  from 
the  galley,  notwithstanding  which  it  was  cold;  yet  the 
carpenter  worked  faithfully,  and  turned  out  sleds  both 
large  and  small. 


Dog-Food.  261 

Nearly  every  day  the  men  were  employed  about  two     1871. 

December. 

hours  after  breakfast  in  sweeping  the  decks  and  putting 
the  ship  to  rights,  in  filling  up  the  ice-house,  and 
bringing  provisions  from  the  store-houses  on  shore.  The 
dogs  were  regularly  fed.  Captain  Hall  had  tried  as  dog- 
food  a  hash  made  of  dried  salmon  and  sea-bread;  but  as 
it  was  thought  to  have  caused  the  death  of  several  dogs  it 
was  given  up.  Captain  Budington's  first  intention,  after 
the  seal-meat  procured  at  the  Danish  settlement  was 
used  up,  had  been  to  prepare  a  mixture  of  bread  and  pem- 
mican.  Dr.  Bessels,  upon  being  consulted,  did  not  con 
sider  it  a  good  plan,  because  dogs  are  carnivorous  ; 
the  captain  thereupon  determined  to  feed  them  upon 
pemmican  alone.  He  remarks  in  his  journal :  "  We  must 
care  for  them  as  much  as  we  do  for  ourselves.  The 
whole  success  of  the  expedition  depends  on  our  dogs,  for 
with  our  vessel  we  cannot  hope  to  reach  a  much  higher 
latitude." 

During  the  evening  of  the  20th,  the  moon  shone  with 
wonderful  brilliancy  upon  the  snow  and  ice,  making  every 
object,  however  distant,  remarkably  plain.  Distant  ob 
jects  were  brought  so  much  nearer  that  Cape  Lupton,  four 
miles  off,  seemed  to  be  within  the  reach  of  a  short  walk ; 
and  the  same  with  Cape  Lieber.  The  scene  was  solemn 
and  impressive. 

The  21st  was  not  allowed  to  pass  by  without  that 


202  Christmas  Eve    • 

1871.     notice  which  it  always  receives  from  Arctic  explorers. 

December. 

The  twilight  had  daily  grown  less  and  less,  until  it  was 
nothing  but  a  light  streak  over  the  southern  mountains 
for  a  few  hours  each  day.  It  gave  no  light,  and  was 
hut  just  discernible.  The  long-continued  darkness  had 
become  oppressive;  the  exclusive  use  of  artificial  light 
began  to  affect  the  eyes,  and  the  trouble  of  carrying  a 
lantern  whenever  one  went  out,  was  trying.  The  absence 
of  light  produced  the  physical  effect  of  languor. 

On  the  24th,  the  men  were  invited  to  join  the  officers 
in  the  lower  cabin  at  8  p.  m.,  there  to  celebrate  Christmas 
Eve.  The  room  was  decorated  with  flags  hung  about  the 
walls  and  festooned  over  the  door.  The  name  "Polaris" 
was  exhibited  in  large,  red  letters  on  a  white  ground,  and 
the  table  was  loaded  with  good  things.  The  stores  of  the 
vessel  had  been  liberally  drawn  upon  to  furnish  the  requi 
site  entertainment.  The  object  of  the  greatest  admiration 
was  a  Christmas-tree  which  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  table, 
a  regular  pine  in  appearance,  filled  with  golden  fruit  and 
toys ;  wax  candles  burning  from  every  bough  added  not  a 
little  to  the  effect.  This  tree  possessed  a  peculiar  attrac 
tion  of  its  own.  Through  Dr.  Bessels's  contrivance  one 
of  the  branches  was  made  to  bleed  profusely,  and  the  sap 
was  gathered  in  glasses  and  pronounced  delicious.  After 
the  company  had  been  .served  from  the  bountiful  table, 
and  each  had  paid  more  than  one  visit  to  the  flowing 


Celebration.  263 

branch,  another  feature  of  the  evening's  entertainment     1871. 

December. 

appeared.  It  was  a  lottery.  Mysterious  packages  were 
produced  and  distributed  as  the  numbers  were  drawn  from 
a  hat.  They  were  not  to  be  opened  until  10  o'clock ;  but 
curiosity  prevailed,  and  they  were  soon  examined. 

A  great  deal  of  amusement  was  afforded  by  the  dis 
covery  that  the  packages  contained  toys,  of  various  kinds, 
and  small  trinkets,  which  had  been  brought  by  Captain 
Hall  for  distribution  among  the  Esquimaux  children.  The 
men  enjoyed  the  joke  exceedingly,  and  merrily  twitted 
each  other  on  the  appropriateness  of  their  respective  gifts. 
"Big  Fred,"  as  Frederick  Jamka  was  always  called, 
amused  the  company  very  much  by  the  answer  he  made 
to  one  who  asked  him  why  he  could  not  have  waited  until 
10  o'clock  before  he  opened  his  package.  He  said  it  was 
10  by  his  watch,  and  thereupon  held  up  a  little  toy  watch, 
the  hands  of  which  indicated  10  hours  10  minutes.  With 
many  toasts  and  remembrances  of  friends  at  home,  and 
for  the  success  of  the  enterprise,  and  with  much  fun  and 
story-telling,  a  pleasant  hour  passed  rapidly  away.  The 
only  drawback  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  occasion  was  the 
shadow  of  Hall's  death,  which  fell  upon  every  one's 
thoughts.  It  was  arranged  to  have  a  balloon  ascension 
after  the  festivities  of  the  evening,  and  all  hands  muffled 
up  and  gathered  on  the  ice  near  the  ship.  The  balloon 
was  prepared,  but  the  wind  was  so  strong  that  all  attempts 


264  A  Beautiful  Day. 

1871.     to  light  the  cotton  proved  unsuccessful,  and  finally  it  was 

December. 

torn  to  pieces.  Another  was  brought  out,  and  after  many 
trials  met  the  fate  of  its  predecessor,  much  to  the  morti 
fication  of  those  assisting  in  its  preparation  and  the  dis 
appointment  of  those  who  had  braved  the  cold  to  witness 
its  ascent.  After  these  abortive  attempts  the  two  messes 
separated,  but  in  their  different  quarters  hilarity  was  kept 
up  until  a  late  hour. 

Some  objected  to  holding  the  gathering  on  Christmas 
Eve  because  it  was  Sunday  night,  and  they  wished  to 
have  it  postponed  until  Christmas  evening ;  but  the  ma 
jority  would  not  listen  to  the  postponement.  The  Ger 
mans,  especially,  insisted  on  its  observance,  and  the  others 
cheerfully  yielded.  The  25th  was  a  beautiful  day,  and 
although  the  thermometer  stood  33°  below  zero,  the 
weather  was  exceedingly  pleasant.  Captain  Budington's 
journal  says: 

"It  appears  as  if  Nature  herself  would  join  us  in  the 
celebration  of  Christmas  day.  The  full  moon  changes 
night  into  day,  and  illuminates  the  straits  as  a  chandelier 
does  a  ball-room."  At  3  p.  m.,  the  cook  served  another 
of  his  elaborate  dinners.  In  addition  to  the  ordinary 
dishes  made  from  the  ship's  stores,  and  which  of  them 
selves  when  presented  in  all  their  variety,  constituted  a 
very  good  bill  of  fare,  special  preparations  appeared,  which 
were  the  more  relished  as  they  were  unexpected.  Very 


Christmas  Dinner.  265 

good  beefsteaks,  taken  from  a  portion   of  the  musk-ox     1871. 

December. 

killed  in  the  fall,  gave  the  impression  that  butchers  and 
markets,  and  other  types  of  civilization,  were  not  after  all 
beyond  reach.  Next  some  roast  pork  from  the  pig  killed 
in  Upernavik  was  warmly  welcomed.  The  spare-rib,  not 
withstanding  its  age  of  four  months,  was  as  fresh  and 
sweet  as  though  but  just  taken  from  the  animal.  Then, 
as  if  to  shut  out  all  ideas  suggestive  of  Arctic  snows  and 
colds  and  horrors,  among  the  desserts,  mince-pie  appeared 
made  of  fresh  musk-ox  meat,  dried  apples,  raisins,  &c. ; 
it  was  unquestionably  good,  if  the  demand  for  it  can  be 
admitted  as  evidence  of  the  fact.  A  few  bottles  of  wine 
were  broached. 

At  8  p.  m.,  a  very  strong  gale  sprang  up  from  the 
N.  E.,  blowing  at  times  in  violent  squalls,  accompanied 
by  snow-drift.  It  was,  however,  of  short  duration,  last 
ing  only  until  1.30  a.  m.  In  the  afternoon  of  the  26th, 
Joe  and  Hans  reported  quite  a  large  body  of  open  water 
about  four  miles  from  the  berg. 

On  this  day  Captain  Budington  speaks  in  his  journal 
respecting  the  position  of  the  vessel  as  follows  : 

"  On  ascending  the  Providence  Iceberg  and  taking  a 
look  around,  we  see  at  first  the  open  water  at  a  distance 
of  from  three  to  four  miles,  extending  the  whole  length  of 
the  strait  from  north  to  south.  Our  vessel  lies  on  the  ed<rc 

o 

of  the  land-floe,  protected  from  seaward  by  the  iceberg. 


26fi  Situation  of  the  Vessel; 

1871.     "She  heads  to  the  southeast.     She  is  protected  from  any 

December. 

danger  in  that  direction  by  a  considerable  bergy  mass  of 
ice,  which  seems  to  be  grounded  and  partially  kept  from 
going  adrift  by  our  Providence  Berg.  Her  stern  has  a  safe 
guard  in  the  form  of  a  large  piece  of  our  iceberg  which 
was  broken  off  during  the  last  gale  that  broke  us  out  of 
our  position.  It  now  appears  to  be  aground  not  far  off 
our  stern,  and  which  will  stop  the  progress  of  floes  in  case 
the  land-ice  should  become  broken.  The  only  danger, 
therefore,  that  threatens  us  is  from  the  sea  side,  and  this 
in  the  form  of  southwest  gales,  in  connection  with  spring 
tides,  which  may  push  the  vessel  further  in  shore.  She 
will  then  have  only  two  chances.  She  must  either  resist 
the  pressure  of  the  berg  and  break  the  land-ice,  which 
has  already  acquired  the  thickness  of  three  feet,  or  she 
will  be  lifted  up  out  of  the  water,  which  would,  however, 
not  occur  without  the  loss  of  rudder  and  propeller.  This 
could  only  be  effected  by  a  strong  gale  of  several  days' 
duration.  The  ice  before  the  berg  must  first  be  set  in 
motion  before,  even  with  the  aid  of  spring-tide,  Provi 
dence  Berg  could  be  driven  in.  With  northeast  winds, 
the  prevailing  ones  here,  we  generally  have  a  very  low 
tide;  therefore  it  is  almost  impossible  for  the  berg  to  go 
adrift  before  spring.  We  are,  however,  in  by  no  means  a 
safe  position." 

He  then   goes   on   to   express   his   regret  that  his 


Its  Dangers.  267 

advice   in    regard  to   winter  quarters  had  not  been   fol-     1871. 

December. 

lowed.  The  vessel,  according  to  his  idea,  would  have 
been  safely  anchored  in  Newman's  Bay,  and  entirely  free 
from  all  the  dangers  by  which  she  was  now  beset.  There 
would  have  been  no  drifting  in  the  pack,  no  breaking  out, 
no  subsequent  force  upon  the  berg,  and  no  daily  motions 
in  her  icy  bed,  had  the  vessel  been  guided  as  his  experi 
ence  directed.  She  would  have  wintered  at  least  twenty 
miles  further  north,  and  nearer  the  musk-ox  feeding- 
grounds. 

"On  the  27th,  the  atmosphere  was  foggy  and  the 
whole  heavens  overcast  with  low  stratus-clouds.  The 
moon  was  slightly  visible  through  the  fog,  having  a  large 
halo."  The  vessel's  position  was  so  uncomfortable  .that 
life  on  board  became  almost  unendurable;  at  every  low 
tide  she  lay  over  to  port,  almost  on  her  beam-ends,  and 
it  was  desirable,  for  several  reasons,  to  attempt  to  get  her 
off  from  the  berg  and  enable  her  to  remain  upright.  Not 
only  were  her  constant  movements  sources  of  incon 
venience  to  her  occupants,  but  it  was  feared  she  herself 
would  sustain  serious  injury.  Her  rudder  and  propeller 
were  so  far  under  the  ice  that  they  could  not  be  seen,  and 
many  thought  they  had  become  fastened  in,  so  that  when 
the  vessel  lay  over  she  broke  them  off  and  left  them  in 
the  position  in  which  they  were  when  frozen  into  the  ice. 
It  was  argued,  too,  that  this  constant  motion  while  the 


268  Failure. 

1871.     bow  remained  perched  upon  the  tongue  of  the  berg  must 

December. 

necessarily  result  in  wrenching  the  bow  and  breaking  off 
the  keel.  Little  hope,  however,  was  entertained  that 
much  could  be  done  toward  the  liberation  of  the  vessel 
until  late  in  the  spring,  when  human  efforts  would  be 
aided  by  the  powerful  influence  of  the  sun.  Nevertheless 
an  attempt  w-as  made  in  that  direction  on  the  28th.  It 
was  perhaps  done  more  to  give  employment  to  the  men, 
and  by  a  little  excitement  break  the  dull  monotony  of  ship- 
life,  than  with  the  expectation  of  doing  much  good.  Four 
large  charges  of  gunpowder  were  exploded  under  the  ice 
in  different  places  not  far  from  the  ship's  side,  but,  beyond 
jarring  the  ice  and  the  vessel,  no  effect  was  produced; 
the  ice  was  not  even  cracked. 

Luminous  streamers  were  seen  on  the  29th,  extending 
in  an  arch  from  northeast  to  southwest  through  the  zenith. 

On  the  30th,  the  Esquimaux  reported  open  water 
within  one  mile  of  the  vessel.  It  could  not,  however,  be 
seen  from  the  summit  of  Providence  Berg,  as  the  straits 
wrere  covered  with  an  impenetrable  black  fog.  On  the 
last  day  of  the  year  the  twilight  was  brighter  than  it  had 
appeared  for  a  long  time.  The  sky  was  perfectly  clear, 
and  the  moon,  being  in  the  northwest,  was  very  distinct. 
Some  thought  that  they  could  detect  a  light  straw  color 
quite  near  the  horizon.  This  rapid  and  marked  increase  in 
the  extent  of  the  twilight  arch  was  very  gratifying,  and 


The  New  Year.  269 

was  the  subject  of  constant  remark.     Then  speculations     1871. 

December. 

as  to  future  movements  always  followed.  Perhaps  no  one 
thing  was  more  talked  ahout  than  the  question  of  the 
probable  success  or  failure  of  different  plans  for  carrying 
out  the  objects  of  the  expedition. 

Divine  service  was  held  as  usual  at  1 1  a.  m.  Precisely 
at  12  midnight  the  ship's  bell  was  rung  merrily  to  welcome 
in  the  New  Year.  A  bowl  of  hot  punch  was  brewed, 
according  to  the  most  approved  plan,  by  Dr.  Bessels.  The 
men  forward  fired  a  salute  and  sent  a  delegation  to  the  cabin 
to  congratulate  the  officers  on  the  occasion.  This  was 

o 

very  kindly  received,  and  thanks  were  returned  for  their 
courtesy,  with  the  assurance  of  the  officers'  continued  good 
will  and  kind  wishes.  Profiting  by  their  experience  on 
Christmas  Eve,  and  favored  by  calm  weather,  the  balloon 
managers  were  successful,  early  on  New  Year's  day,  in 
sending  up  a  balloon.  Nearly  all  the  ship's  company  were 
out  on  the  ice  to  watch  it  as  it  was  carried  away  by  the 
light  wind  just  felt  from  the  east.  After  stopping  a 
minute  in  the  rigging,  it  rose  and  moved  off  to  the  west 
ward,  until  it  entirely  disappeared.  When  it  had  passed 
out  of  sight  all  were  invited  into  the  cabin,  where  the 
remainder  of  the  punch  was  made  to  disappear  in  a 
remarkably  short  space  of  time. 

The  amount  of  coal  used  during  the  month  of  Decem 
ber  was  as  follows: 


270  Goal 

1871.  Pounds. 

December.                    ^   ,  .  i    ooo 

Cabin 1,882 

Forecastle 1,920 

Galley... 2,898 

Observatory 1, 360 


Total... 8,060 

This  was  an  increase  upon  the  consumption  during 
the  month  of  November,  but  not  more  perhaps  than  was 
to  be  expected  from  the  decrease  of  temperature  and 
the  exposure  of  the  vessel's  sides  for  want  of  a  snow  wall. 
Captain  Budington,  in  his  journal  of  January  2d,  thus 
speaks  of  the  coal-supply:  "We  try  to  save  coal  in  every 
possible  way.  The  fire  in  the  galley-stove  is  extinguished 
after  dinner  is  over,  at  3  p.  m.  Even  the  ashes,  after 
having  fallen  through  the  grates,  are  returned  to  the 
stoves,  in  order  to  save  the  small  particles  of  coal  that 
might  slip  through  and  thereby  escape  their  destina 
tion.  A  commission,  appointed  on  the  8th  of  September, 
1871,  by  Captain  Hall,  to  report  on  the  amount  of  coal  in 
the  bunkers,  estimated  it  to  be  about  one  hundred  tons. 
Since  then  we  have  used  so  much  coal  that  we  are 
better  able  to  inspect  and  estimate  the  remainder,  and  are 
satisfied  that  there  must  have  been  some  mistake,  and 
that  there  could  not  have  been  more  than  eighty  tons. 
If  the  consumption  of  this  fuel  is  continued  at  the 


Necessity  of  Steam.  271 

"same  rate,  a  stoppage  of  which,  without  endangering  our     1871. 

J.-L       O  *  OO—^,, 

December. 

health,  is  not  possible,  we  will  hardly  have  enough  for  two 
winters,  to  say  nothing  of  using  steam  on  our  return. 
The  idea  of  piloting  the  vessel  through  Smith  Sound 
with  the  aid  of  sails  is  an  absurdity.  Without  con 
sidering  the  safety  of  the  vessel,  the  experiences  of 
both  Kane  and  Hayes  are  sufficient  to  show  that  a 
sailing-vessel,  and  especially  one  like  ours,  can  do  abso 
lutely  nothing.  The  first  opportunity,  however,  we  get 
to  leave  this  winter-harbor  will  be  taken,  and  with  the 
aid  of  steam  or  sails,  as  conditions  permit  us,  we  will 
attempt  to  reach  a  higher  latitude,  so  as  to  enable  us  to 
carry  out  the  objects  we  are  sent  for." 

The  winds  during  December  were  extremely  variable. 
Those  from  the  N.  E.  were  the  most  frequent  and  violent; 
the  S.  W.  storms  were  next  in  duration  and  severity. 
There  were  many  days  of  total  calm,  and  on  others  light 
winds  blew  from  different  directions.  The  sky  was  ren 
dered  cloudy  by  the  proximity  of  open  water;  heavy, 
and  at  times  impervious,  fogs  prevailed. 


XII 


18 


CHAPTER    XII. 


For  several  hours  during  the  morning  of  the  2d,  the     1872. 

January. 

men  worked  very  hard  to  loosen  the  ice  under  the  vessel, 
in  order  that  she  might  be  on  an  even  keel.  A  deep 
ditch  was  cut  at  a  distance  of  1 5  feet  from  her,  in  which 
holes  were  made  through  the  ice  which  was  from  4  to  5 
feet  in  thickness.  Then  four  large  bottles  of  powder  were 
introduced  under  the  ice,  by  means  of  long  poles  that 
served  to  regulate  the  positions  of  the  bottles.  The  fuses 
were  ignited  at  the  proper  time,  and  the  bottles  exploded 
simultaneously.  The  result  was  a  disappointment.  The 
ice  was  but  jarred,  particularly  near  the  vessel,  so  that 
those  on  the  ice  felt  the  shock.  It  was  evidently  the  idea 
of  some  that  the  whole  body  of  the  ice  between  the  ditch 
and  the  vessel  would  be  broken  into  atoms,  and  fragments 
cast  to  a  considerable  distance.  Accordingly,  when  the  . 
fuses  were  lighted,  there  had  been  a  retreat  for  protection. 
This  was  very  amusing  to  those  who  remained  near  the 
holey.  Mr.  Chester,  in  his  comic  manner,  as  soon  as  he 


276  Ice- Blasting. 

1872.     noticed  this  movement  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  men, 

January. 

ridiculed  it  by  feigning  the  utmost  fear,  and  ran  with  all 
speed  far  beyond  any  of  the  men,  ensconcing  himself  be 
hind  a  large  berg.  He  climbed  up  the  berg  on  the  side 
farthest  from  the  vessel,  and  after  the  explosion,  his  head 
appeared  over  its  top,  and  in  the  most  anxious  tones  he 
inquired  if  all  were  safe.  After  repeated  assurances  he 
cautiously  approached  the  ship.  The  ice  was  not  seri 
ously  affected ;  it  was  not  even  cracked.  But  the  shock 
to  the  vessel  was  so  great  that  it  was  considered  impru 
dent  to  explode  a  larger  quantity  of  powder,  and  the  idea 
of  relieving  the  vessel  in  that  manner  was  abandoned. 

o 

With  the  aid  of  Mr.  Schumann  and  fireman  Booth 
the  pendulum  was  erected  near  the  west  side  of  the  ob 
servatory.  Dr.  Bessels  superintended  its  erection,  and 
formed  the  plan  by  which  the  box  in  which  it  swung 
was  so  securely  supported  that  its  oscillations  could  not 
be  affected  by  any  extraneous  movement.  His  account  of 
this  is  as  follows : 

"PENDULUM  EXPERIMENT. 

"  The  pendulum  is  an  invariable,  reversible  brass  pen 
dulum,  of  5  feet  7.75  inches  in  length,  and  very  near  syn 
chronous,  but  not  convertible.  It  is  swung  on  steel  knife- 
edges,  and  suspended  in  a  box  of  strong  board  with  a  glass 
door.  In  order  to  disconnect  the  instrument  as  far  as  pos 
sible  Irom  the  small  building  in  which  it  was  swung,  a 


The  Pendulum.  277 

''square  hole  was  cut  through  the  floor  in  the  middle  of  the     1 872. 

January. 

western  wall  of  the  observatory.  Underneath  this  open 
ing  a  heavy  piece  of  timber  was  frozen  solid  to  the  ground. 
As  the  floor  of  the  hut  did  not  rest  directly  on  the  soil, 
but  was  placed  on  beams  of  oak,  the  plank  mentioned 
before  was  entirely  isolated  from  the  observatory,  and  be 
came  as  firm,  under  the  influence  of  the  low  temperature, 
after  the  course  of  a  few  days,  as  the  frozen  soil  itself 
upon  which  it  rested.  On  this  piece  of  timber  the  pen 
dulum-box  was  screwed  in  such  a  manner  that  the  plane 
in  which  the  pendulum  was  swung  was  that  of  the  me 
ridian,  and  in  order  to  secure  the  utmost  steadiness  a  bar 
rel  was  placed  outside  the  observatory  on  the  same  plank 
on  which  the  pendulum-box  rested.  The  barrel  was  sur 
rounded  by  a  heap  of  gravel,  which  was  moistened  with 
water  in  order  to  cement  it  in  a  solid  manner  to  the  plank. 
After  this  was  done  a  hole  was  cut  through  the  wall  of 
the  observatory  behind  the  place  where  the  pendulum-box 
was  fastened.  A  half-inch  iron  bar,  bent  at  right  angles, 
was  passed  through  this  hole,  and  one  end  of  it  was  fast 
ened  to  the  back  wall  of  the  box  by  means  of  five  screws. 
The  other  end,  which  was  about  three  feet  over  the  center 
of  the  barrel  outside  of  the  observatory,  was  screwed 
to  a  three-inch  iron  bar  set  up  nearly  perpendicular  in 


the  keg. 


'After  having  accomplished   the  work   so  far,  the 


278  Pendulum  Observations. 

1872.     "barrel  was  filled  with  gravel  and  sand,  over  which  was 

January. 

poured  some  water.  Before  the  mass  was  frozen  hard  we 
leveled  the  pendulum-box  as  nearly  as  could  be  done,  and 
when  it  was  found  to  be  tolerably  level,  the  bar  outside 
was  fastened  by  means  of  ropes  to  the  wall  of  the  observ 
atory,  in  order  to  prevent  it  from  giving  way  and  disturb 
ing  the  position  of  the  box.  After  two  days  had  elapsed, 
the  gravel  was  frozen  solid  and  the  ropes  were  removed. 
It  was  found  that  the  box  had  not  changed  its  level ;  but, 
at  the  same  time,  it  was  not  so  steady  as  might  have  been 
expected.  To  secure  it  better,  a  hole  of  three  inches 
diameter  was  drilled  through  the  floor  of  the  observatory, 
about  one  foot  north  of  the  box,  and  another  one  of  the 
same  diameter  and  at  the  same  distance  south  of  it. 
Through  each  of  these  holes  an  iron  bar,  one  inch  thick 
and  three  feet  long,  was  driven  into  the  frozen  soil  and 
connected  with  the  box  by  means  of  two  other  iron  bars 
bent  at  right  angles,  similar  to  the-  one  mentioned  above, 
and  screwed  together  in  a  similar  manner. 

"The  vibrations  (performed  in  the  plane  of  the  me 
ridian)  were  observed  with  a  small  direct-vision  telescope 
placed  about  eight  feet  east  of  the  arc  of  the  pendulum. 
The  point  of  the  swinging  knife-edge  served  as  a  mark, 
and  observations  were  made  with  vibrations  from  right  to 
left  (north  to  south)  and  from  left  to  right  to  correct  for 
eccentricity  of  mark.  Each  set  was  begun  with  right. 


Pendulum  Observations.  279 

"An  arc  of  a  circle  of  39.25  inches  radius,  divided  from     1873. 

January. 

the  middle  each  way  to  five  degrees,  with  subdivisions  of 
tenths  of  degrees,  was  placed  over  the  swinging  knife- 
edge,  and  the  extreme  excursions  to  the  right  and  left 
rioted.  The  times  were  recorded  by  a  sidereal  chronome 
ter,  which  was  compared  with  five  other  box-chronome 
ters,  by  means  of  a  pocket-chronometer,  before  and  after 
each  set  of  observations  was  taken.  The  pendulum  was 
swung  in  four  different  positions  designated  by  the  num 
ber  stamped  on  the  rod  near  the  knife-edge ;  the  number 
facing  the  telescope  thus  indicating  the  position ;  the  num 
bers  1  and  2  being  on  one  side,  and  3  and  4  on  the 
reverse.  The  steel  plates  upon  which  the  knife-edge 
rested  were  leveled  by  a  small  spirit-level  every  time  be 
fore  the  set  was  begun,  when  the  door  of  the  box  was 
closed  and  kept  shut  till  the  set  was  finished." 

The  pendulum  had  been  ready  some  time,  but 
it  was  not  until  the.  2d,  that  observations  were  begun. 
Mr.  Bryan,  who  had  charge,  had  been  occupied  with  the 
transit  instrument  in  observing  moon-culminations. 

During  the  3d,  a  strong  breeze  from  the  1ST.  E.  pre 
vailed,  reaching  a  velocity  of  forty-five  miles,  and  at 
times  blowing  in  violent  squalls,  but  at  5  p.  m.,  suddenly 
it  died  away.  At  9.30  a.  m.,  of  the  4th,  an  arch  of 
luminous  streamers  extended  from  N.  E.  to  S.  W.  through 
the  zenith.  The  twilight  into  which  one  end  of  the  arch 


280  Increase  of  Twilight. 

1872.     vanished,  extended  from  southeast  to  southwest.     It  had 

January. 

now  become  so  luminous  that  the  elevated  points  on  the 
mountain -range  were  remarkably  distinct.  Near  the 
horizon  a  yellowish  hue  was  seen. 

On  the  5th,  as  Hermann  Siemens  was  making  the  tidal 
observations,  his  attention  was  attracted  by  the  cries  of  a 
dog  apparently  coming  from  the  starboard  bow.  He 
found,  on  going  there,  one  of  the  little  puppies  fast  in  the 
ice.  It  had  been  caught  in  the  ice  when  it  closed  by  a 
change  in  the  tide,  and  was  unable  to  free  himself;  it 
was  liberated  by  a  hatchet,  and  restored  by  being  placed 
near  the  stove. 

Nearly  all  day  on  the  6th,  beautiful  auroral  displays 
were  seen.  During  the  morning,  luminous  though  faint 
clouds  were  observed  in  different  parts  of  the  heavens. 
At  3  p.  m.,  the  sky  being  clear  and  the  breeze  light 
from  the  south,  these  clouds,  in  the  form  of  an  arch, 
extended  from  northeast  to  southwest,  enlarging  toward 
the  northeast  and  accumulating  above  the  mountains. 
In  half  an  hour  they  resumed  their  original  shape,  and 
appeared  in  the  form  of  light  yellow  and  white  bands. 
These  phenomena  were  present  during  the  wThole  even 
ing,  being  seen  in  every  direction.  Fantastic  forms  of 
light  came  and  went  rapidly,  and  a  frequent  appearance 
was  that  of  a  cirro-stratus  cloud.  On  the  morning  of  the 
7th,  a  perfect  arch  extending  from  north  to  south  was 


An  Auroral  Phenomenon.  281 

observed.     It  consisted  of  uniform  bands  of  yellow  and     1872. 

January. 

white. 

Divine  service  was  held  as  usual  at  11  a.  m.,  in  the 
lower  cabin.  The  minimum  temperature  for  the  previous 
twenty-four  hours  observed  at  8  a.  m.  on  the  9th,  was 
— 48°,  the  lowest  that  had  been  observed  up  to  that  time. 
Throughout  the  9th,  the  weather  remained  fair  and  cold, 
but  at  1  a.  m.  of  the  10th,  a  fresh  gale  from  the  K  E. 
sprang  up,  accompanied  with  snow. 

Siemens  says  in  his  journal  that  on  the  10th,  at 
5  in  the  morning,  a  bright  arc  was  seen  in  the  sky 
passing  from  the  western  horizon  through  the  zenith  to 
the  east,  parallel  with  the  milky  way,  and  distant  from  it 
about  12°.  It  disappeared  about  6  a.  m.,  leaving  three 
clouds  of  similar  brightness.  This  phenomenon,  if  elec 
tric,  did  not  show  itself  in  the  needle.  Narrow  bright 
strips  were  distinctly  seen  running  into  the  arc  from 
the  south.  At  the  same  time  luminous  streamers  of  a 
greenish  hue  were  shooting  up  from  the  eastern  horizon. 
The  atmosphere  was  very  hazy  at  the  time,  and  only 
stars  of  the  first  magnitude  could  be  seen.  Siemens 
thought  the  phenomenon  an  aurora. 

Spring-tide  came  on  the  10th,  but  was  kept  down  by 
a  strong  wind.  An  unusually  low  tide  on  the  llth,  caused 
the  vessel  to  hang  over  even  more  than  she  had  done. 
To  move  about  the  deck  required  a  great  deal  of  care. 


282  Sleeping-Bags. 

1872.  The   preparation    of   sleeping-bags   for    the    spring 

January. 

travelers  was  now  begun.  One  or  two  had  been  bought 
in  the  Danish  settlements;  others  were  made  from  skins 
in  store  and  covered  with  canvas.  At  9.30  p.  m.  of 
the  llth,  a  very  strong  gale  from  the  northeast  com 
menced,  continuing  with  unabated  force  during  the  morn 
ing  of  the  12th.  The  squalls  were  very  violent,  and  the 
air  was  filled  with  the  thick  snow-drift. 

At  10  a.  m.,  an  aurora  was  observed,  which  is 
described  in  Budington's  journal.  Two  imperfect  bands 
of  parallel  luminous  clouds  extended  from  northeast 
to  southwest,  passing  into  an  arch  on  both  sides  of 
the  zenith,  exhibiting  a  light  yellow  color  toward  the 
north,  and  a  pure  white  toward  the  zenith,  where  they 
were  somewhat  more  faint.  Their  appearance  and 
shape  toward  the  north  were  those  of  broken  cirro- 
stratus  clouds;  while  the  part  of  the  arch  south  of  the 
zenith  was  a  long,  uninterrupted,  somewhat  faint  band, 
milk-white. 

On  the  14th,  at  7  p.  in.,  there  was  a  perfect  arch,  of 
a  white  color,  on  the  eastern  horizon ;  it  was  very  distinct, 
and  from  it  beams  shot  toward  the  zenith.  No  other  mo 
tion  was  visible.  It  commenced  from  the  star  Arcturus, 
and  passed  the  constellation  Leonis,  a  few  degrees  south 
east  of  which  it  vanished. 

On  the  16th,  twilight  was  visible  as  early  as  8  a.  m. 


Health  of  the  Grew.  283 

The  ship's  company  began  to  look  forward  to  the  time     1879. 

January. 

when  there  would  be  no  night  and  active  spring- work 
would  begin.  It  was  a  source  of  the  greatest  gratification 
that  ail  were  as  healthy  as  when  the  sun  had  disappeared. 
No  case  of  sickness  had  occurred,  and  the  scurvy,  that 
special  dread  of  Arctic  travelers,  had  not  shown  itself  in 
even  the  slightest  form.  As  the  sunlight  increased,  so  that 
one  could  look  upon  another  without  the  aid  of  artificial 
light,  it  was  noticed  that  the  long  confinement  had  bleached 
the  skin  and  given  a  peculiar  pallor  to  the  face.  There  was 
nothing,  however,  in  this  to  cause  anxiety,  as  each  one 
felt  that  he  needed  only  a  few  days'  sunlight  to  be  entirely 
restored  to  his  usual  strength.  The  good  .health  of  the 
men  was  unquestionably  due  to  the  mild  and  judicious  dis 
cipline  of  Captain  Budington.  His  idea  was  to  keep  the 
men  during  the  Arctic  winter  warm  and  comfortable;  to 
indulge  every  reasonable  request  and  make  them  contented; 

• 

and  to  encourage  them  to  take  voluntary  exercise.  He 
held  that  by  this  course  the  danger  of  scurvy  would  be 
lessened,  and  accordingly  he  directed  only  such  labors  as 
were  indispensable;  the  people,  when  thus  called  upon, 
entered  upon  their  tasks  with  interest.  He  allowed  them 
the  fullest  liberty  to  come  and  go  according  to  their  own 
pleasure  while  conforming  to  the  rules  of  the  ship.  He 
supplied  them  with  guns  and  ammunition,  and  encouraged 
them  to  go  in  quest  of  game.  Their  food  was  carefully 


284  Open  Water. 

1872.     selected  and  prepared,  embracing  as  much  variety  as  the 

January. 

condition  of  the  ship's  stores  admitted.  Pork  was  the  only 
salt  meat  on  board,  and  there  were  several  anti-scorbutics. 
It  is,  however,  by  no  means  certain  that  salt  meat  alone 
causes  the  scurvy.  The  Esquimaux  are  troubled  with  it, 
and  they  feed  entirely  on  fresh  meat,  getting  salt  only 
from  the  sea- water,  which  is  occasionally  used  to  boil  their 
meats.  The  disease  does  not  proceed  from  food  only,  but 
depends  also  on  the  situation  and  the  state  of  mind  of  the 
patient.  Where  there  are  severe  labor  and  exposure,  the 
predisposing  causes  are  strengthened. 

On  the  morning  of  this  day,  from  the  top  of  Provi 
dence  Berg  a  dark  fog  was  seen  to  the  north,  indicating 
water.  At  10  a.  m.,  three  of  the  men,  Kruger,  ^"inde- 
mann,  and  Hobby,  went  to  Cape  Lupton  to  ascertain,  if 
possible,  the  extent  of  the  open  water.  On  their  return 
they  reported  several  open  spaces  and  much  young  ice — 
not  more  than  a  day  old — so  thin  that  it  was  easily  broken 
by  throwing  pieces  of  ice  upon  it.  The  large  floes  on  the 
borders  of  the  open  water  were  moving,  as  they  judged 
from  the  sound,  but  they  were  not  able  to  distinguish  the 
direction  in  which  they  were  drifting.  Late  in  the  even 
ing  Hans  started  out  to  the  cape  for  the  purpose  of  hunt 
ing  in  the  open  water.  The  moon  was  very  near  the 
horizon,  so  that  he  was  not  much  assisted  by  its  light. 
He  saw  no  open  water,  it  having  been  covered  with  young 


Sledges  Finished.  285 

ice  since  the  morning  visit  of  the  men.     Hans  thought  he     1872. 

^  ^  O  -m- 

January. 

heard  a  walrus  blow,  but  could  not  see  the  animal. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  17th,  Captain  Tyson  and 
Joe  started  for  Cape  Lupton  in  time  to  arrive  there  at 
meridian,  when  the  twilight  was  brightest,  that  they 
might  examine  the  condition  of  the  ice  in  the  straits. 
Upon  their  return  they  reported  that  no  water  was  to  be 
seen,  and  that  the  straits  appeared  to  be  covered  with 
young  ice,  not  strong  enough  to  bear  their  weight,  mixed 
with  large  floes  which  seemed  to  have  just  drifted 
together.  A  low  cloud  of  frost-smoke  wTas  seen  toward 
the  western  coast  of  the  channel. 

The  carpenter,  who  had  been  for  a  long  time  em 
ployed  making  sledges,  finished  his  work  on  the  four  small 
sleds  and  commenced  the  construction  of  the  large  ones. 
The  little  sleds  were  designed  for  individual  work.  It 

o 

was  supposed  that  there  might  come  a  time  in  the  course 
of  the  spring  sledge-journeys  when  the  large  sledges  could 
no  longer  be  used,  and,  in  order  to  be  provided  for  such 
an  emergency,  these  smaller  sleds  were  built.  The  plan 
in  this  case  was  for  the  members  of  the  party  to  start  on, 
with  the  small  ones,  each  dragging  his  own  provisions. 
The  sleds  were  all  ready  for  service  except  shoeing  the 
runners. 

Mr.  Schumann  made  a  thorough  examination  of  the 

o 

engine,  and   found   that  it  was   in   excellent   order,  not 


286  Meteorological  Observers. 

1872.     having  been  injured  in  any  way  during  the  winter.     It 

January. 

was  now  overhauled  and  cleaned. 

The  twilight  at  noon  of  the  1 9th,  is  described  as  being 
brilliant,  exhibiting  prismatic  colors  of  great  beauty.  The 
effort  to  obtain  a  spectrum  from  the  twilight  was  unsuc 
cessful.  Mr.  Meyer  had  been  engaged  for  nearly  two 
months  in  meteorological  observations  during  sixteen 
hours  each  day.  He  was  getting  worn  out;  the  con 
tinued  strain  was  too  much  for  him.  He  found  that 
he  must  begin  to  husband  his  strength  for  the  labors  of 
the  spring.  J.  B.  Mauch,  who  had,  since  the  death  of 
Hall,  been  writing  the  journal  for  Captain  Budington, 
was  selected  to  relieve  Mr.  Meyer  of  part  of  his  duties. 
Mauch  having  been  instructed  in  the  reading  of  the  in 
struments  and  recording  the  observations,  and  being  clever 
and  wTell  educated,  Mr.  Meyer  did  not  hesitate  to  intrust 
him  with  the  charge  of  the  meteorological  observations 
during  one-third  of  the  day.  He  accordingly  commenced 
on  the  19th,  to  make  observations  from  11  a.  m.  to  7 
p.  m. 

The  same  day  Robert  Kruger  and  Frederick  Jamka 
made  an  excursion  toward  the  north.  The  following  is 
the  narrative  of  their  journey  : 

"  Soon  after  3  p.  m.,  we  left  the  vessel  with  a  sled 
and  team  of  eight  dogs,  with  the  intention  to  reach  the 
second  cape  north.  On  going  round  the  first  cape  (Lup- 


An  Excursion.  287 

ton),  the  change  in  the  ice   struck  us;   for  about  three     1872. 

January. 

weeks  ago  it  was  full  of  hummocks,  intermingled  with 
bergs  larger  than  our  Providence  Iceberg.  Now,  all  this 
had  changed,  and  a  new  field  of  ice  covered  the  waters, 
free  from  any  hummocks  or  bergs  save  those  that  had 
been  pushed  up  on  shore.  On  arriving  at  the  second  cape, 
we  left  the  dogs  and  sled  in  a  safe  place,  and  started  to 
ascend  a  hill  about  one  hundred  feet  above  sea-level, 
from  whence  we  would  be  able  to  enjoy  a  good  view 
to  the  northward.  Not  far  off'  the  land  a  vast  amount 
of  open  water  appeared,  extending  to  the  northward  as 
far  as  we  could  see,  and  bathing  both  shores  in  its  waves. 
The  moon,  at  the  time,  was  shining  so  brightly  that, 
by  our  estimation,  we  were  able  to  see  twenty  miles 
ahead.  At  that  point  the  straits  seemed  to  get  narrower. 
Having  stopped  there  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  we 
concluded  to  return.  Between  the  second  and  first  cape 
we  had  to  force  our  way  against  a  strong  breeze  from 
the  southwest,  which  was  accompanied  by  a  violent  snow 
drift;  the  wind  entirely  ceased  as  soon  .as  we  rounded 
the  first  cape.  The  whole  excursion  lasted  about  four 
hours.  We  were  obliged  to  stop  the  dogs  several  times 
to  disentangle  their  lines,  especially  on  our  way  back  to 
the  vessel." 

While  this  party  experienced  a  strong  southwest  gale, 
a  light  breeze  from  the  east  wras  felt  at  the  vessel. 


288  Trips  to  Cape  Lupton. 

1872.  Qn  the  21st,  at  12  o'clock,  divine  service  was  held 

January. 

as  usual.  The  temperature  was,  part  of  the  day,  up  to 
zero,  and  a  light  snow  fell  during  several  hours. 

On  the  23d,  the  two  Esquimaux,  accompanied  by  two 
of  the  seamen,  went  to  Cape  Lupton.  They  reported  a 
sea  of  open  water  extending  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach. 

On  the  24th,  Dr.  Bessels,  with  two  of  the  seamen, 
started  at  11  a.  m.,  with  a  dog-team,  to  go  north  and 
examine  the  water  reported  by  the  seamen.  They  reached 
the  third  cape  without  difficulty.  Leaving  their  sled, 
they  arrived  at  the  open  water  about  2  p.  m.  They 
reported  a  current  there  running  to  the  north  at  a  rate 
variously  estimated  from  four  miles  to  half  a  mile  per 
hour;  at  the  same  hour  at  the  vessel  the  tide  was 
falling.  At  7.30  p.  m.,  Mr.  Bryan  and  Mauch  left  the 
observatory  to  walk  up  to  Cape  Lupton.  They  took  the 
ice,  as  affording  smoother  traveling  than  the  shore. 
About  half-way  up  they  met  Hayes,  who  was  just  return 
ing  from  a  tramp  to  the  third  cape;  he  had-  found  a 
thermometer-case,  which  had  been  dropped  by  Dr.  Bes 
sels.  They  pursued  a  narrow  way  between  the  steep 
debris  of  the  cape  and  a  row  of  stranded  icebergs, 
which  was  large  enough  for  the  passage  of  a  sled. 
After  passing  the  cape  they  ascended  a  hill,  from  which 
there  was  a  good  view  of  the  straits.  About  three  miles 
from  the  shore  a  narrow  channel  of  water  extended 


Magnetometer.  289 

to  the  north,  the  end  of  which  was  invisible.     The  moon     1879. 

January. 

was  very  bright,  though  partially  obscured  on  their  return 
journey  by  a  light  mist.  Presently  a  large  halo  appeared, 
exhibiting,  on  its  lower  part  toward  the  south,  faint 
spectrum  colors.  Mock-moons,  were  seen — sometimes 
one  and  sometimes  two  on  either  side.  They  reached 
the  vessel  at  10.30  p.  m.,  after  a  walk  of  about  eight 
miles. 

On  the  28th,  Mr.  Chester  and  a  small  party  with 
dogs  and  sled,  went  to  inspect  the  open  water  which  now 
prevented  their  rounding  the  third  cape.  Mr.  Chester 
observed  a  current  of  one  mile  an  hour  toward  the  north. 
The  existence  of  this  open  water  was  regarded  as  favora 
ble  to  boat  journeys  in  the  spring.  A  large  sled  was 
ordered,  upon  which  one  of  the  boats  could  be  trans 
ported  to  the  open  water,  the  extent  of  which  it  was 
proposed  to  ascertain  as  soon  as  possible.  Toward 
evening,  the  sky  cleared,  and  the  western  coast  could  be 
distinctly  seen. 

On  the  26th,  Mr.  Bryan  had  commenced  making 
observations  with  the  magnetometer.  The  plan  was  to 
continue  them  for  a  few  months  with  hourly  observations, 
excepting  on  a  term-day  each  week,  when  they  were  to 
be  made  every  six  minutes.  Dr.  Bessels  and  Mr.  Meyer 
both  assisted  and  read  the  magnetometer  during  the  hours 
of  their  watch  at  the  observatory.  For  several  days  there 

19 


290  Small  Print  Read. 

1872.     was  a  precipitation   in  the   form   of  ice-crystals,  which 

January. 

covered  everything,  and  accumulated  in  great  masses  on 
any  metallic  surface. 

On  the  28th,  Divine  service  was  held  as  usual  at  12 
o'clock. 

On  the  29th,  a  small  arc  of  twilight  was  visible  above 
the  western  horizon  at  5  p.  m.  On  the  30th,  the  twi 
light  at  noon  made  it  sufficiently  light  to  read  small 
print.  At  4.30  p.  m.,  two  faint  bands  of  luminous  clouds 
were  seen  extending  from  northeast  to  southwest.  At 

o 

5  p.  m.,  a  streamer  was  seen  extending  from  llegulus 
to  Altair,  where  it  vanished  before  the  twilight  arc.  This 
streamer  was  in  the  form  of  an  arch,  and  very  irreg 
ular  in  its  illumination,  some  parts  being  quite  faint.  It 
was  brightest  in  the  east  where  it  commenced,  and  Reg- 
ulus  shone  through  its  most  illuminated  part.  During  the 
whole  of  the  display,  Mr.  Bryan  sat  watching  the  mag 
netometer,  but  no  deflection  occurred  attributable  to  the 
streamers. 

On  the  31st,  a  very  heavy  gale  from  the  northeast 
commenced  to  blow,  increasing  in  violence  until  it  had 
acquired  in  the  afternoon  a  velocity  of  44  miles  per  hour. 
It  was  accompanied  by  snow-drift,  which  rendered  ex 
posure  by  no  means  a  trifling  matter.  A  snow  wall  was 
formed  about  the  vessel  4  feet  deep.  It  was  almost  im 
possible  to  read  the  instruments  ;  the  snow-drift  filled  the 


Heavy  Gales.  291 

eyes  and  froze  the  water  with  which  they  became  suffused.     1872. 

January. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  observatory  was  well  banked 
up  with  snow,  there  were  still  a  few  cracks  exposed,  and 
through  these  it  drifted,  making  three  heaps  upon  the 
floor.  The  observer  was  compelled  to  shovel  out  the 
snow,  and  his  watch  was  a  cold  and  cheerless  one  in  spite 
of  a  good  fire. 

During  January,  the  highest  temperature  was  +  3°.2 
F.;  the  lowest,  -  -  43°;  the  mean,  -  -  21°.  9.  The  gale 
which  commenced  on  the  last  day  of  January  continued 
throughout  the  1st  of  February.  The  snow-drift  was 
remarkably  heavy,  and  filled  up  the  tide-hole  so  rapidly 
that  it  was  found  impossible  to  keep  it  clear,  so  that  the 
observations  were  necessarily  omitted.  The  wind  blew 
with  the  greatest  force  between  the  hours  of  6  and  7  in 
the  afternogn,  when  the  anemometer  registered  a  velocity 
of  53  miles.  As  it  blew  in  squalls,  there  were  times 
when  its  velocity  was  much  greater.  The  temperature 
during  the  severest  part  of  the  storm  was  —  22°.  Facing 
such  a  wind  at  this  temperature  was  by  no  means  com 
fortable  or  safe. 

The  coal  used  during  January  amounted  to  7,262 


292 


Coal  Consumed. 


1872.     pounds,  making  a  decrease  of  798  pounds  from  the  amount 

January. 

used  in  December.     The  consumption  was  distributed  as 


follows : 


Pounds. 

Cabin 1,673 

Forecastle.  1,726 

Galley.  2,274 

Observatory 1 , 589 


XIII. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


The  1st  of  February  was  one  of  the  magnetic  "term-     1872. 

February. 

days."  The  observers  had  a  severe  time,  remaining  con 
tinually  in  the  cold  snow-house,  and  jotting  down  every 
six  minutes  the  reading  of  the  magnetometer.  They  had, 
however,  a  small  deer-skin  bag  in  which  they  encased 
their  feet  and  legs,  and  were  able  without  any  very  great 
discomfort  to  remain  there  several  hours  at  a  time. 

On  the  2d,  the  heavy  snow-bank  was  cleared  away 
from  the  fire-hole,  and  the  tidal  observations  were 
resumed.  Although  the  sky  was  overcast,  the  twi 
light  afforded  sufficient  light  to  read  the  anemometer  at 
meridian. 

On  the  3d,  the  carpenter  finished  one  of  the  large 
sledges  for  transporting  the  boats.  It  was  14  feet  long, 
and  2^-  feet  between  the  centers  of  the  runners,  which 
were  2^  inches  thick,  and  10i  inches  high.  Fourteen 
cross-bars,  4^  by  2i  inches  each,  were  fastened  by  strong 
lashes  of  raw-hide  to  the  runners,  which  thus  had  a  play 


296  A  Meteor. 

1872.     of  about  six  degrees;  moving  easily  ahead  at  this  angle. 

February. 

This  play  of  the  runners  was  a  great  advantage  when 
transporting  a  heavy  load  over  rough  ice;  it  is  a  feature 
common  to  all  Esquimaux  sleds. 

The  twilight  was  now  so  bright  that  any  kind  of 
print,  from  fine  diamond  up,  could  be  easily  read.  A 
spectrum  was  for  the  first  time  observed.  Only  stars  of 
the  first  magnitude  could  be  clearly  seen.  Mauch  thus 
records  an  observation  of  a  meteor : 

"At  4.30  p.  m.,  when  making  my  observation,  and 
just  attempting  to  read  the  anemometer,  I  observed  in  the 
east,  above  the  range  of  hills,  a  bright  meteor  slowly 
moving  in  a  southerly  direction  toward  the  ground,  at  an 
angle  of  45°.  Its  height  when  I  first  saw  it  was  the 
same  as  that  of  Procyon.  It  was  of  a  light  bluish  color, 
resembling  closely  in  its  whole  appearance  the  blue  light 
that  falls  from  some  kinds  of  rocket,  when  they  burst  in 
the  air.  Before  it  disappeared  behind  the  hills,  it  left  a 
few  sparks  behind,  which,  however,  were  soon  extin 
guished.  Its  size  was  that  of  one  of  the  stars  of  the  first 
magnitude." 

Parties  of  seamen  now  went  every  day  to  Cape 
Lupton  to  examine  the  open  water. 

Twilight  lasted  on  the  4th,  from  half-past  six  in  the 
morning  until  half-past  five  in  the  afternoon.  Divine  ser 
vice  was  held  as  usual  at  12  o'clock.  During  the  entire 


Magnetic  Disturbances.  297 

day  remarkable  disturbances  in  the'  motions  of  the  mag-     1872. 

February. 

netic  needle  were  observed.  As  was  expected,  a  very 
tine  auroral  display  was  witnessed  in  the  evening.  The 
movements  were  many  and  complicated,  and  the  spec 
tacle  grand  in  the  extreme.  Doctor  Bessels  stood  outside 
the  observatory  sketching  and  taking  notes  of  the  rapid 
changes  of  the  phenomena.  He  held  a  string  leading 
into  the  magnetic  snow-house,  where  Mr.  Bryan  sat  watch 
ing  the  magnetometer.  The  doctor  pulled  the  string  when 
changes  occurred,  and  Mr.  Bryan  being  thus  warned  noted 
the  time  and  read  the  magnetometer.  In  this  way  they 
were  able  to  trace  the  effect  of  various  combinations  and 
movements. 

It  may  be  said,  in  general,  that  the  greatest  disturb 
ance  occurred  several  hours  before  an  aurora  was  visible. 
The  following  short  description  of  the  display  is  condensed 
from  Mauch's  journal :  At  7  p.  m.,  as  I  was  returning 
to  the  ship  from  the  observatory,  I  noticed  the  slaty 
appearance  of  the  sky  to  the  northwest  and  the  occasional 
shooting  up  of  luminous  streamers.  At  7.15,  the  horizon 
to  the  northwest  was  of  a  blood-red  color,  while  faint, 
white  streamers  sprang  up  in  rapid  succession,  increasing 
in  numbers,  and  rising  from  the  west,  north,  and  northeast 
points.  They  were  all  directed  toward  the  zenith,  and  the 
exterior  ones  bending  inwards  gave  to  the  whole  configu-" 
ration  a  dome  like  shape.  They  then  all  vanished,  and 


298  Auroras. 

1872.     new  ones  began  to  rise  slowly  from  a  wider  extent  of  hori- 

Febmary. 

zou.  At  8.30,  new  and  very  bright  streamers  advanced 
toward  the  zenith  from  all  directions.  At  8.45,  they  all 
gathered  about  the  zenith  and  formed  a  perfect  corona. 
They  then  all  seemed  to  move  toward  the  north,  as  new 
ones  arose  from  the  south.  Mauch  watched  the  prog 
ress  of  these  streamers  while  passing  over  some  stars, 
and  assigned  to  them  a  motion  of  between  six  and  seven 
seconds  to  a  degree.  They  moved  from  west  to  east.  As 
the  corona  opened  and  moved  toward  the  north,  a  beauti 
ful  curtain  was  formed,  its  color  being  very  intense  and 
bright,  between  yellow  and  white.  This  was  the  general 
color  of  all  the  streamers  except  those  in  the  northwest 
against  the  deep-red  sky,  which  seemed  to  take  that  color. 
At  9.30,  another  corona  was  formed  by  new  streamers 
coming  from  every  direction  of  the  compass.  This  sepa 
rated  like  the  first  one,  moving  toward  the  north  and  form 
ing,  before  it  vanished,  a  similar  curtain.  This  latter  dis 
play  was  much  more  brilliant  than  the  first.  At  9.40,  the 
red  part  of  the  horizon  inclined  more  toward  the  north 
and  northeast.  The  auroral  display  lasted  all  night,  and 
continued,  with  slight  interruptions,  throughout  the  5th. 
The  red  color  of  the  sky  moved  around  during  the  night, 
was  finally  seen  in  the  east,  and  disappeared  in  the  south- 
"east  before  twilight. 

o 

"At  3.30  p.  in.,  I   observed,5'   says    Mauch  in    his 


Auroras.  299 

journal,   "on  the  northeast,  east,  and  southeast  horizon,     1873. 

February. 

heams  of  luminous  clouds.  They  soon  accumulated  and 
formed  an  irregular  arch  due  east,  which  slowly  moved, 
as  if  driven,  in  a  southerly  direction.  At  4  p.  m.,  a  new 
arch  extended  from  nearly  due  east  to  nearly  due  south. 
At  4.10  p.  m.,  three  distinct  arches,  one  above  the  other, 
were  formed  slowly  in  the  southeast  and  south,  exhibiting 
a  very  brilliant  display,  though  fading  very  soon  away. 
Those  to  the  south  were  of  an  intense  straw-color, 
and  formed  a  brilliant  spectacle.  At  4.30  p.  m.,  more 
streamers  were  coming  up  from  the  southeast  and  south. 
In  the  former  direction  they  formed  nearly  the  shape  of 
an  egg,  very  regular  and  of  the  greatest  brilliancy.  At 
4.40,  they  seemed  to  move  around  to  the  south;  no  more 
coming  up  in  the  northeast.  I  might  say  they  follow  the 
twilight,  showing  their  brilliancy  right  alongside,  as  if 
they  would  ask  which  one  we  liked  best."  Hermann 
Siemens,  in  his  journal,  speaking  of  the  rays  combining 
as  it  were  to  form  a  sort  of  screen  or  scroll  or  curtain, 
and  moving  until  they  disappeared  only  to  be  followed  by 
others,  says:  "It  was  as  if  a  regiment  of  troops  retreated 
before  an  enemy  closing  in  upon  them." 

A  party  went  again  to  the  cape  and  reported  that 
there  was  young  ice  over  the  open  water,  and  that  toward 
the  western  side  a  water-cloud  was  visible.  The  Esqui 
maux  in  their  wanderings  over  the  land  found  the  tracks 


300  Observing  Under  Difficulties. 

1872.     of  a  wolf,  only  a  few  days  old.     This  was  very  encourag- 

February. 

ing  news  to  the  sportsmen. 

On  the  7th,  the  water  had  risen  around  the  vessel  to 
the  depth  of  18  inches  above  the  surface  of  the  ice.  The 
tides  kept  open  the  cracks  about  the  iceberg.  So  much 
snow  had  drifted  over  the  ice  near  the  berg  as  to  make 
it  too  heavy  to  be  raised  by  the  tide.  Thus  the  ice  was 
greatly  increased  in  thickness;  a  portion  of  the  water 
freezing  and  not  running  back  on  the  fall  of  the  tide. 

The  following  extracts  are  from  Mauch's  journal: 
"Between  5  and  6  p.  m.,  I  assisted  Mr.  Bryan  in  taking 
some  altitudes  of  Jupiter,  hut  then  not  much  could  he  done 
as  the  temperature  ranged  too  low  ( — 30°).  It  was  a  hard 
trial  for  both  of  us.  The  nose  suffers  more  than  anything 
else.  The  fingers  also  feel  the  effects,  especially  the  points, 
as  the  nails  that  cover  them  produce  a  fearful  sensation." 

At 5.30 p.  m.,  on  the  8th,  "I  observed  a  very  bright 
luminous  arch  of  streamers  somewhat  extending  from  the 
northeastern  horizon  to  the  southwestern.  When  I  first 
saw  it,  it  was  a  little  to  the  northwest  of  the  zenith,  but 
the  whole  arch  seemed  to  move,  and  at  6.30,  it  just  passed 
the  zenith,  and  then  had  a  position  southeast  of  it,  where 
it  gradually  broke  up.  Its  southwestern  extremity  just 
touched  the  twilight  curve,  where  it  vanished.  At  6.30, 
the  usual  haziness  of  the  sky,  after  the  occurrences  of 
these,  was  noticed." 


Fog  at  Lookout  Mountain.  301 

Mauch  paid  a  visit  to  Hall's  grave  and  found  that  it     1872. 

February. 

was  undisturbed.     Everything  about  it  was  in  good  order, 
just  as  it  had  been  left  in  the  autumn. 

On  the  10th,  while  on  one  of  those  short  excursions, 
that  were  now  frequently  made  by  the  members  of  the 
expedition,  he  visited  Lookout  Mountain,  and,  from  its 
summit,  witnessed  a  remarkably  rapid  change  in  the 
atmosphere,  which  he  thus  describes : 

"I  had  for  a  short  time  a  very  extensive  view  over 
the  straits  where  the  open  water  appeared  as  a  dark 
black  spot  on  a  white  field.  My  joy  and  pleasure  did 
not,  however,  last  long,  as  fifteen  minutes  only  sufficed  to 
cover  all  by  a  most  impenetrable  fog' — a  phenomenon 
which  I  never  observed  before  in  winter.  I  was  hardly 
able  to  see  twenty  paces  to  the  west  and  northwest, 
though  toward  the  south  it  remained  free  for  a  considerable 
time.  There,  above  the  new  ice  of  the  bay,  a  most 
beautiful  fog-stratum,  intensely  white,  was  hanging,  and 
continually  changing  its  height." 

Divine  service  was  held,  as  usual,  in  the  lower  cabin, 
at  12  o'clock  on  the  llth.  On  the  12th,  the  Esquimaux 
went  to  the  open  water  and  saw  two  seals,  but  were 
unable  to  get  them  because  they  were  beyond  the  reach 
of  their  rifles.  The  ship's  company  was  much  in  need  of 
oil  for  their  lamps,  all  their  original  supply  together  with 
that  taken  from  the  seals  killed  during  the  winter,  having 


302  Amusements. 

187S.     been  consumed.     They  were  at  this  time  using  kerosene 

February. 

oil,  and,  the  supply  of  that  not  being  large,  strict  economy 
had  to  be  practiced.  It  was  therefore  important  that  seals 
should  be  killed,  and  the  natives,  each  day,  on  returning 
from  their  hunt,  were  closely  interrogated  as  to  their 
success. 

On  the  morning  of  the  13th,  southwesterly  breezes 
brought  the  temperature  up  to  within  six  or  seven  degrees 
of  the  zero  point.  The  whole  crew  were  out  on  the  ice, 
taking  advantage  of  the  fine  weather,  enjoying  themselves 
in  various  ways,  some  at  target-shooting  and  others  in  dif 
ferent  games.  The  ice  about  the  vessel  presented  a  gay 
and  lively  scene.  Parties  were  out  hunting  all  day.  Joe 
fired  at  a  seal,  but  lost  it  in  the  ice.  On  the  15th,  beauti 
ful  crimson  clouds  were  seen  in  the  south,  reflecting 
some  of  their  colors  to  others  in  the  east  and  northeast. 

On  the  17th,  a  remarkable  fall  of  the  barometer  was 
observed.  During  one  hour  it  fell  .09  of  an  inch.  From 
8.30  a.  m.  to  4.30  p.  m.,  the  fall  amounted  to- .481  of  an 
inch.  From  midnight  to  midnight  the  entire  fall  was 
1.16  inches— from  30.098  inches  to  28.938.  At  2  a.  m. 
of  the  18th,  with  the  fall  of  the  barometer  and  rise  of  the 
thermometer,  came,  as  usual,  a  southwesterly  gale,  increas 
ing  in  fury  and  accompanied  by  a  heavy  snow-drift.  The 
greatest  velocity  observed  was  58  miles  per  hour.  Early 
in  the  morning  the  thermometer  reached  its  greatest 


Typical  Storms.  303 

height,  at  +  8°  F. ;  a  great  change  since  the  i6th,  when     1872. 

February. 

the  mercury  was  frozen.  The  effect  of  the  wind  was 
noted  in  the  tidal  observations.  For  twelve  consecu 
tive  hours  the  height  of  the  water  was  about  the  same, 
the  difference  between  high  and  low  water  being  but  little 
more  than  one  foot.  The  barometer  began  to  rise  as  rap 
idly  almost  as  it  had  fallen.  The  gale  continued  blowing 
in  heavy  gusts  until  daylight  of  the  19th,  when  the  wind 
shifted  to  the  west  and  northwest.  The  thermometer  fell 
rapidly,  while  the  barometer  remained  stationary.  A 
gale  from  the  northeast,  commencing  at  noon  (a  light 
snow  having  fallen  since  10  a.  m.),  blew  writh  great  force, 
reaching  a  velocity  of  57  miles  per  hour.  Soon  after 
midnight  it  lulled  for  a  short  period. 

At  8  a.  m.  of  the  20th,  it  was  howling  through  the 
rigging,  making  a  fearful  noise.  All  the  snow  that  had 
been  carried  northward  by  the  southwest  gale  was  re 
turned  with  interest.  The  air  was  filled  as  high  as  the 
top  of  the  masts,  and  so  thickly  that  objects  more  than  ten 
feet  off  could  not  be  seen.  The  banks  alongside  the  vessel 
were  much  increased.  At  3.40  p.  m.,  the  storm  had  died 
away,  a  scarcely  perceptible  breeze  blowing.  The  straits, 
which  had  been  completely  filled  with  ice  by  the  south 
east  gale,  were  cleared  out,  and  a  large  body  of  open 
water  could  be  seen  not  more  than  three  miles  from  the 
ship. 


304 


Paraselenae. 


February. 


The  preceding  account  of  the  two  storms  is  typical ; 
the  number  of  storms  of  such  a  character  recorded  in  the 
journals  is  very  large. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  21st,  Mauch  was  called 
by  Hermann  Siemens  to  observe  some  very  beautiful  par- 
aselense.  The  moon,  a  little  west  of  the  meridian,  was 
not  quite  full.  Mauch  made  the  following  sketch  at  the 
time ;  the  thermometer  was  30°  below  zero. 


MOCK-MOON 

EXHTB.  ritlSM. 

COLORS 


CIRRI 
LONG  STREAKS 


MOCK-MOON 


MOCK-MOON" 

KXI1II1.  1'UISM. 

COLORS 


CIREI 

LOXf!  8TKEAKS 


It  was  so  light  at  midday  that  no  stars  could  be 


seen. 


Dr.  Bessels  now  addressed  the  following  communica 
tion  to  Captain  Budington : 


Projected  Expeditions.  305 

"  WINTER-QUARTERS,  1873, 

February. 

("Latitude  81°  38'  north,  longitude  61°  44'  west,) 

"February  21,  1872. 

"  SIR :  As  with  the  return  of  the  sun  the  further 
operations  of  the  expedition  must  be  hegun,  and  as,  in 
regard  to  all  these,  a  consultation  between  us  should  take 
place,  I  forward  herewith  to  you  the  sketch  of  a  plan  by 
means  of  which,  as  I  think,  we  may  best  fulfill  the  mission 
upon  which  we  are  sent. 

"  Very  respectfully, 

"EmiL  BESSELS. 
"Captain  S.  0.  BUDINGTON, 

'*  United  States  Steamer  Polaris" 

SKETCH  OF  A  PLAN  OF  OPERATIONS. 

"As  matters  stand  now,  there  are  two  ways  of 
accomplishing  the  object  of  the  expedition:  either  by  boats 
and  the  vessel  herself,  or,  as  at  first  proposed,  by  sledges. 
Let  us  now  consider  both  ways,  and  the  plan  of  opera 
tions  for  each  that  seems  to  offer  the  most  advantages. 

"The  setting  out  of  a  boat  party  will,  of  course,  de 
pend  entirely  upon  the  area  of  open  water  and  the  improb 
ability  of  new  ice  being  formed  that  would  interfere  with 
its  navigation.  Perhaps  the  party  could  start  during  the 
last  of  March  or  in  the  beginning  of  April — that  is  to  be 

seen — if  the  vessel  does  not  break  out  before  that  time, 
20 


306  Projected  Expeditions. 

1872.     "which  may  occur  at  any  time,  as  our  anchorage  does  not 

February. 

give  us  much  protection. 

"If  the  journey  toward  the  north  should  be  made  by 
means  of  a  boat,  considerable  time  must  elapse  before  it 
can  be  safely  begun,  and  the  question  arises  how  to  em 
ploy  that  time  to  the  best  advantage. 

"As  the  object  of  the  expedition  is  a  geographical 
one,  and  as  geography  consists  not  merely  in  laying  down 
a  coast-line,  as  many  may  think,  but  requires  much  more 
than  that;  a  sledge-party  should  be  formed,  provisioned 
for  twenty  days,  to  penetrate  into  the  interior  of  the 
country,  to  discover  if  it  consists  of  an  ice-plateau,  as  is 
supposed  by  some,  but  which  does  not  seem  probable, 
or,  in  a  word,  to  investigate  its  configuration.  This  would 
also  give  an  opportunity  for  answering  some  important 
questions  contained  in  the  instructions. 

"Another  party  could,  at  the  same  time,  go  to  Cape 
Constitution,  to  determine  astronomically  the  position  of 
Morton's  farthest  point,  which,  in  regard  to-  longitude, 
ought  to  be  verified.  Besides  that,  these  points  of  the 
coast-line  should  be  connected  with  the  survey  of  our 
anchorage. 

"Regarding  the  matter  of  verifying  positions,  it  will 
also  be  very  desirable  to  send  a  party  to  Grinnell  Land, 
the  coast-line  of  which,  although  changed  a  good  deal  by 
Dr.  Hayes,  does  not  seem  to  be  correct,  and  ought  to  be 


Projected  Expeditions.  307 

"resurveyed.     Besides  that  the  party  could,  perhaps,  find     1872. 

February. 

out  if  the  land  contained  any  glaciers,  as  Dr.  Hayes 
stated. 

"There  is  no  doubt  that  it  would  be  considered  as 
a  very  valuable  geographical  discovery  to  determine  how 
far  Grinnell  Land  extends  from  east  to  west,  which  might 
be  done  by  ascending  some  of  the  high  mountains  near 
its  coast.  It  must  be  confessed  that  this  party  would 
be  subject  to  many  difficulties  and  much  risk,  even  if 
open  water  did  not  impede  their  progress,  because  the  ice 
is  rough  and  hurnmocky,  and  liable  at  any  moment  to  go 
adrift. 

"  (As  matters  stand  since  the  day  before  yesterday, 
it  would  be  impossible  to  cross  the  strait.  February  21, 
1872.) 

"It  is  not  impossible  that  the  ice  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  straits  will  be  better  for  traveling  purposes,  so  that 
the  Cape  Constitution  party  might  cross  with  compar 
atively  little  difficulty;  but  if  you  take  into  consideration 
how  much  trouble  it  cost  Dr.  Hayes  who  crossed  the  strait 
twice,  how  it  enervated  his  party,  it  seems  better  to  give 
up  this  plan,  especially  because  next  summer  there  would 
be  very  likely  a  more  convenient  way  of  reaching  Grin 
nell  Land. 

"As  it  has  been  concerted,  the  Polaris  will  leave  at 
her  anchorage  a  depot  of  provisions  and  a  boat.  Should 


308  Projected  Expeditions. 

1872.     "the  vessel  be  compelled  to  leave  her  anchorage  before  the 

February. 

sledge  parties  return,  then  the  party  arriving  first  at  Po 
laris  Bay  should  wait  for  the  other,  and  upon  its  arrival 
proceed  to  Newman's  Bay  (the  only  harbor  we  know  of 
toward  the  north),  in  the  most  expeditious  manner.  By 
all  means  it  would  be  a  good  plan,  if  the  vessel  breaks  out 
before  the  return  of  the  sledge  parties,  to  leave  also  a  boat 
with  a  patent  log  and  provisions  at  Newman's  Bay,  be 
cause  the  boat  left  at  Polaris  Bay  would  be  used  to  carry 
the  united  sledge  parties,  and  there  should  be  another  to 
fall  back  upon,  in  case  of  accident. 

"If  the  vessel  should  drift  south  during  the  absence 
of  the  parties,  then  documents  of  the  further  route  they 
intend  to  take  will  be  found  a  few  feet  to  the  west 
of  the  present  site  of  the  observatory.  The  spot  may 
be  known  by  %the  iron  bar  which  now  holds  the  pend 
ulum-case. 

"Let  us  return,  after  this  digression,  to  consider  a 
plan  for  the  operations  of  a  boat  party  toward -the  north. 
One  of  the  smaller  boats  should  be  taken,  with  #s  many 
provisions  as  possible,  the  necessary  instruments,  and 
small  stores.  The  p'arty  should  follow  up  the  eastern  side 
of  the  strait,  surveying  the  land  and  making  such  investi 
gations  in  hydrography,  in  regard  to  currents,  sea-atmos 
phere,  and  soundings,  as  may  be  made  without  too  much 
delay. 


Projected  Expeditions.  309 

"As  near  each  full  degree  of  latitude  as  possible     1872. 

February. 

the  party  will  build  a  cairn,  and  deposit  a  record  of  its 
proceedings,  in  order  that  the  vessel,  if  necessary,  may 
know  where  to  search  for  it. 

"  Should  we,  notwithstanding  the  favorable  prospect 
we  now  have,  be  compelled  to  use  sledges  on  the  jour 
ney  toward  the  north,  then  we  should  start  as  soon  as 
possible,  by  all  means  by  the  middle  of  March,  because 
it  is  not  probable  that  then  the  temperature  will  be 
much  lower  than  it  is  now,  although  we  might  have  more 
gales. 

C3 

"It  cannot  be  denied  that  it  is  a  great  advantage  to 
use  dogs  for  draught^  provided  sufficient  game  can  be  pro 
cured  on  the  way  for  their  food,  but  as  we  are  compelled 
to  travel  over  a  poor  country  and  make  large  distances  the 
dogs  will  prove  hinderances  rather  than  help.  We  must, 
then,  as  the  English  expeditions  have  done,  almost  exclu 
sively  use  men  for  draught.  Two  dog-sledges  should  be 
taken,  loaded  with  four  small  sleds,  the  provisions  belong 
ing  to  them,  and  besides  provisions  for  the  whole  party 
for  thirty  days.  Should  the  two  sledges  meet  with  many 
difficulties  in  advancing,  which  will  'very  likely  be  the 
case,  then  they  will  establish,  at  places  they  may  find 
favorable,  small  .depots  of  provisions  for  their  return,  stay 
as  long  as  possible  with  their  small  sleds,  and  return 
when  circumstances  require  it.  Then  the  small  sleds  will 


310  Projected  Expeditions. 

1872.     "be  loaded  with  the  undiminished  provisions,  and  each 

February. 

man  drag  his  own  sled,  a  total  weight  of  two  hundred 
pounds. 

"By  no  means  can  the  small  sleds  expect  to  return 
by  the  same  way  over  the  ice,  because  at  that  time  it  will 
be  broken  up,  and  the  vessel  herself  under  way  for  a  high 
latitude. 

"As  has  been  mentioned  in  the  case  of  the  boat 
party,  the  sledge  party  will  also  build  cairns  and  deposit 
records  of  their  proceedings. 

"  Having  arrived  on  their  return  at  a  place  from 
which  they  are  unable  to  travel  any  farther  south,  they 
will  keep  up  a  continued  watch  and  signalize  by  flags  and 
smoke,  while  the  vessel  fires  a  gun  several  times  a  day. 

"Now,  a  few  remarks  upon  the  operations  of  the 
vessel.  It  would  undoubtedly  be  best  to  use  as  little  as 
possible  of  our  coal,  and  to  proceed  north  by  sail.  If  it  is 
possible  for  the  vessel  to  advance  along  the  coast  of  Grin- 
nell  Land  it  would  be  profitable  to  do  so,  on  account  of 
the  running  survey  that  could  be  made,  as  there  certainly 
will  be  some  one  on  board  who  can  conduct  a  work  of 
this  kind. 

"  The  determination  of  the  local  attraction  of  the 
compass  before  the  vessel  starts  should  not  be  neglected 
as  heretofore,  because  without  this  an  able  survey  cannot 
be  made. 


Washington's  Birth-Day.  311 


"It  should  be  considered  as  a  matter  of  the  highest 

February. 

importance  to  take  deep-sea  soundings,  or  soundings  in 
general,  whenever  practicable  ;  for,  except  those  made  by 
John  Eoss  in  1818,  there  are  but  a  few  taken  by  Ingle- 
field  and  two  by  Kane.  If  the  time  will  not  allow  of 
more,  one  sounding  a  day  would  be  valuable  and  should 
be  taken. 

"  If  the  water  is  not  very  deep,  one  of  the  smaller 
dredges  should  be  used  to  procure  a  larger  number  of 
specimens  than  can  be  obtained  by  the  apparatus  of 
Brooks. 

"EniL  BESSELS. 

"  Winter-quarters,  latitude  81°  38'  north,  longitude 
61°  44'  west.  February  10,  1872." 

It  was  intended  to  celebrate  Washington's  birthday 
by  a  dinner,  but  the  gale  blew  so  fiercely  that  it  was  im 
possible  to  make  the  galley-stove  draw.  The  meal  was 
cooked  upon  the  small  stoves,  and  each  mess  had  what  it 
chose.  In  the  cabin  musk-ox  meat  and  clam-chowder 
were  the  favorite  dishes.  The  captain  broke  open  a  box 
of  Koesysbacher  wine  and  gave  one  half  dozen  bottles  to 
the  men  forward  and  the  remaining  half  dozen  to  the 
cabin  mess. 

Early  on  the  23d,  the  temperature  was  below  the 
freezing  point  of  mercury.  For  two  nights  in  succession 
two  different  men,  who  were  making  tidal  observations, 


312  Looking  for  the  Sun. 

Were  startled  by  a  strange  sound  near  the  observatory. 


February. 

The  dogs,  which  lay  near  the  vessel,  were  also  much 
excited  when  they  heard  it,  and  ran  in  that  direc 
tion,  returning  after  some  time  looking  as  if  they  had 
given  chase  to  some  animal.  This  aroused  some  of  the 
men,  who,  on  the  25th,  set  out  on  a  grand  hunt  to  dis 
cover,  if  possible,  the  cause  of  these  noises.  Another 
party  went  to  Observatory  Bluff  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
sun,  as  they  were  told  it  would  be  near  enough  the  hori 
zon  to  be  seen  from  such  a  height.  So  few  were  left  on 
the  ship  that  no  Divine  service  was  held.  The  hunting 
parties  were  as  usual  unsuccessful.  They  tramped  over 
miles  of  the  desolate  country  without  seeing  any  signs  of 
animal  life.  Low,  thick  stratus  clouds  hung  about  the 
horizon  so  that  the  sun  was  not  seen.  Several  small 
cirro-cumulus  clouds  near  the  zenith  were  colored  with 
deep  orange  and  crimson  hues,  while  the  tops  of  the 
mountains  near  Lady  Franklin  Strait  were  of  a  yellowish- 
white  color,  as  if  illuminated  by  the  direct  rays  of 
the  sun. 

On  the  27th,  an  unusually  low  tide,  the  effect  of  a 
strong  northeast  wind,  caused  the  vessel  to  heel  over  in  a 
very  uncomfortable  position.  Without  assistance  it  was 
impossible  to  walk  across  the  deck.  When  the  tide  rose 
again  the  water  stood  two  feet  above  the  ice  alongside  the 
ship. 


The  Sun  Appears.  313 

The  morning  of  the  28th,  was  bright  and  clear,  and     1873. 

February. 

there  was  a  promise  that  the  sun  would  be  seen  after  its 
absence  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  days.  At  11  a.  m., 
all  hands  were  out  watching  the  steadily  increasing  light 
about  the  southern  horizon.  Some  were  perched  on  the 
foretop,  and  others  on  the  top  of  Providence  Berg,  while 
groups  at  the  observatory  and  on  the  floe  were  eagerly 
discussing  the  approaching  spectacle.  A  few  small  clouds 
over  the  tops-  of  the  mountains  were  brilliant  with  the 
light  of  the  sun,  and  were  taken  by  some  for  the  sun  itself. 
At  11.55,  a  small  portion  of  the  sun's  upper  limb  was  seen 
through  a  gorge  in  the  mountain,  but  it  soon  disappeared. 
At  12.15,  the  whole  orb  suddenly  appeared  from  behind 
Cape  Tyson,  and  rolled  in  full  glory  over  the  southern 
fiord.  Cheer  after  cheer  went  up  from  the  joyful  com 
pany,  with  ceaseless  echoings.  The  floe  seemed  alive 
with  young  school-boys,  out  for  a  short  recess.  The 
men  leaped  and  jumped  about,  and  tried  in  vain  to  ex 
press  their  full  joy.  Cries  of  "0!  how  warm  it  is!" 
"He  has  not  forgotten  us,"  &c.,  went  up  on  all  sides. 
The  carpenter  was  particularly  happy,  and  went  around 
with  a  bottle  of  wine,  which  he  had  saved  from  Wash 
ington's  birthday,  calling  upon  each  one  to  take  a  drink 
with  him.  The  sun  continued  above  the  horizon  until 
2  p.  m.  At  that  time,  however,  it  appeared  as  a  red 
ball  hanging  over  the  straits  to  the  southwest.  Half 


314  Sledge  Operations. 

1872.     a  bottle  of  wine  was  given  to  each  man,  and  Dr.  Bessels 

*  distributed  one  hundred  cigarettes  among  the  men  forward. 

Joe,  who  had  been  out  hunting,  reported  that  he  had 

seen  in  the  open  water  three  dovekies.     He  said  they 

were  the  young  of  last  year,  and  that  it  was  well  known 

among  the  Esquimaux  that  this  species  of  bird  spent  their 

first  winter  in  the  Arctic  regions. 

To  the  communication  presented  by  Dr.  Bessels  on  the 
21st,  Captain  Budington  replied  as  follows: 

"  THANK-GOD  HAEBOE, 

"February  29,  1872. 

"SiE:  I  have  carefully  examined  the  contents  of 
your  communication,  dated  Thank-God  Harbor,  February 
10, 1872;  and  your  suggestions  as  to  an  early  trip  to  Cape 
Constitution  and  the  inland  meet  with  my  entire  approval. 
Anything  to  the  furtherance  of  science  which  can  be  done 
before  the  starting  of  the  final  expedition  to  the  north,  in 
pursuit  of  the  principal  object  of  this  expedition,  I  would 
decidedly  advise  you  to  undertake,  and  you  may  be 
assured  that  all  possible  aid  on  my  part  shall  be  given  to 
you  and  your  undertaking.  The  expedition  to  the  north, 
will,  in  all  probability,  proceed  by  the  aid  of  boats ;  and 
it  is  my  decided  intention,  in  such  a  case,  to  take  com 
mand  of  the  boat  party.  To  come  to  any  conclusion  as 
yet  in  regard  to  the  details  of  this  boat  journey  and  the 


Heavy  Snow  Storm.  315 

"proceedings  of  the  ship,  appears  to  be  useless,  inasmuch     1872. 

February. 

as  circumstances  will  generally  govern  our  actions. 
11  Very  respectfully,  yours, 

"S.  0.  BuDiNGTOisr, 

"Commanding  United  States  Steamer  Polaris. 
"To  Dr.  EMIL  BESSELS, 

"  Chief  of  the  Scientific  Party 

"of  the  North  Polar  Expedition." 

The  carpenter  was  engaged  in  putting  a  window  in 
the  roof  of  the  observatory.  He  could  not  have  selected 
a  more  unfavorable  time;  the  wind  was  blowing  with 
great  violence  from  the  northeast,  and  the  usual  snow-drift 
was  not  wanting.  Mr.  Bryan,  and  Mauch,  who  were  on 
watch  at  the  observatory,  worked  for  two  hours  to  clear 
the  snow  out  that  had  drifted  in  through  the  hole  the 
carpenter  was  making  for  the  window.  To  add  to  their 
disappointment,  the  window  was  not  put  in  after  all,  some 
thing  occurring  that  rendered  the  postponement  neces 
sary.  The  wind  was  blowing  so  fiercely  that  the  observ 
ers  determined  to  remain  at  the  observatory  during  their 
entire  watch,  instead  of  going  to  the  vessel  for  their  dinner 
at  3  p.  m.,  as  was  their  custom.  They  did  not,  however, 
remain  without  something  to  eat,  as  Joe  brought  some  din 
ner  over  to  Mr.  Bryan.  Joe  also  brought  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Meyer,  stating  that  Dr.  Bessels  was  suffering  so  much 


31G 


1872. 

February. 


Goal  used  during  February. 

with  his  eyes  that  he  would  be  unable  to  take  his  watch. 
It  was  proposed  that  Mr.  Meyer  should  make  the  observa 
tions  from  7  p.  m.  till  7  a.  m.  the  next  morning,  and  then 
Bryan  and  Mauch  should  come  on  watch.  The  snow  had 
drifted  so  much  about  the  vessel  that  the  bank  which  was 
16  feet  distant  was  10  feet  high  and  very  wide  at  its  base. 

The  highest  temperature  recorded  during  February 
was  —  0°.7  F.;  the  lowest,  — 43°.5  F.;  while  the  mean 
was  about  — 21°.3  F.  These  figures  are  made  up  from 
the  regular  meteorological  journal. 

The  coal  used  during  the  month  of  February  was, 
in  the — 

Pounds. 

Forecastle _ 1,943 

Cabin 1, 738 

Galley 2,487 

Observatory 1, 492 

Total 7,660 

This  was  an  increase  over  the  previous  month  of  398 
pounds. 


IY    r  i*  R  A  RY 

JUN1VKKSITV   OF 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


The  heavy  gale  from  the   N.  E.  continued  during 

inarch. 

the  1st  and  2d,  at  times  attaining  a  velocity  of  50 
miles  per  hour.  The  wind  had  blown  so  fiercely  on  the 
night  of  February  29th,  that  fears  were  entertained  lest 
the  vessel  should  get  adrift.  Captain  Budington  remained 
on  deck  until  1  a.  m.,  anxiously  watching  for  any  sign  of 
movement,  and  all  were  momentarily  expecting  the  cry 
of  "  all  hands!" 

From  this  time  light  winds  and  fair  weather  were  ex 
perienced  until  the  7th  and  8th,  when  a  heavy  N.  E.  gale 
set  in.  On  the  10th  it  attained  a  velocity  of  36  miles 
per  hour. 

During  the  llth  the  wind  was  variable.  In  the 
afternoon  a  very  remarkable  change  was  observed.  It 
blew  from  S.  E.,  then  E.,  then  N.  W.,  then  W.,  and  then 
settled  down  to  a  gale  from  the  N.  E.,  reaching  on  the  12th 
a  velocity  of  50  miles. 

After  this,  light  winds  and  calms  prevailed  up  to  the 


320  The  Winds. 

1872.  20th ;  then  again  for  over  two  days  a  very  strong  gale 
blew  from  the  N.  E.,  with  drifting  snow.  The  anemome 
ter,  for  eleven  consecutive  hours,  recorded  a  velocity  of 
40  miles  per  hour. 

The  effect  of  the  wind  upon  the  temperature  was 
very  remarkable  during  the  month.  Northeast  and  east 
winds  always  lowered  it,  while  southwest  and  northwest 
winds  raised  it.  Mercury  was  frozen  during  the  2d,  and 
the  first  part  of  the  3d.  On  the  4th,  mercury  was  frozen 
from  midnight  until  the  southwest  breezes  set  in  during 
the  afternoon. 

On  the  6th,  during  the  prevalence  of  the  southwest 
winds  of  the  early  part  of  the  day,  snow  fell.  From  8  a. 
m.  till  1  p.  m.,  a  N.  W.  wind  brought  thick  fog,  the  ther 
mometer  standing  at  — 20°.  Then  a  gale  set  in  from  the 
N.  E.,  which  cleared  away  the  fog,  brought  snow-drift, 
and  lowered  the  temperature  ten  degrees.  As  it  increased 
in  violence  the  mercury  fell  until  finally  it  was  frozen;  it 
continued  frozen  until  10  p.  m.  of  the  9th.  -  The  gale 
abated  on  the  8th,  but  the  coldest  weather  occurred  on  the 
9th.  The  spirit -thermometer  read  at  one  time  — 53°.9 
F. ;  as  it  had  a  correction  5°.4,  the  true  temperature  wras 
considered  to  be  -48°.5  F.  This  was  the  lowest 
observed  by  the  expedition. 

The  wind  varied  in  direction  and  force  in  places  quite 
near  each  other.  On  the  13th,  a  party  at  Cape  Lupton 


Effect  of  the  Sun.  321 

experienced  a  very  strong  S.  W.  gale,  while  it  was  per-     1872. 

March. 

fectly  calm  at  the  ship.  On  the  23d,  a  heavy  snow-drift 
was  seen  moving  rapidly  down  the  straits  under  the  force 
of  a  strong  northeast  wind,  while  near  the  vessel  only 
light  airs  were  stirring. 

On  the  3d,  the  solar  radiation  thermometers  were 
placed  in  position.  On  the  15th,  the  black  bulb  in  vacuo 
read  at  noon  +26°,  while  the  snow  on  the  ship's  side  was 
melting,  On  the  24th,  the  black  bulb  in  vacuo  read 
+  51°.9,  the  one  free  +  0°.4,  while  the  temperature  of  the 
air  was  — 14°.4. 

The  gales  of  wind  were  sufficiently  frequent  and 
strong  to  keep  the  ice  in  constant  motion.  A  southwest 
gale  covered  the  straits  with  the  rough  pack,  while  north 
easterly  winds  cleared  the  ice  out,  and  left  large  expanses 
of  open  water  reaching  sometimes  quite  near  the  ship. 

On  the  12th,  the  wind  was  so  strong  that  it  was 
impossible  to  keep  any  fire  in  the  galley-stove.  When 
ever  fire  was  kindled  the  smoke  was  blown  down  the 
pipe,  and  filled  the  passage-way,  making  it  impossible  for 
the  cook  to  do  his  wTork.  This  trouble  was  caused  by 
N.  E.  gales,  and  it  seemed  impossible  to  remedy  it.  The 
same  day,  stones  as  large  as  an  egg  were  found  on  the  ice 
twenty  paces  from  the  shore,  where  they  had  been  trans 
ported  by  the  wind.  On  account  of  the  continued  motion 

of  the  Polaris,  the  cradle  of  ice  in  which  she  lay  constantly 
21 


322  Strain  on  the  Vessel. 

1872.     increased  in  thickness  by  additions  to  its  surface.     Thus 

IT!  arch. 

the  ship  was  lifted  up  bodily,  so  that  on  the  1st,  the 
6-foot  mark  was  visible  above  the  ice ;  the  bow  was  lifted 
more  than  the  stern.  The  higher  she  was  lifted  the 
greater  was  her  inclination  at  low  tide.  It  was  found 
necessary  to  fasten  cleats  fore  and  aft  upon  the  cabin  and 
on  other  decks.  In  the  lower  cabin,  the  officers  were 
compelled  to  stand  at  their  meals,  and  even  that  was 
attended  with  difficulty.  During  all  this  time  the  strain 
on  the  vessel  was  very  great,  causing  the  timbers  to 
complain.  The  sounds  were  so  loud  that  the  people  were 
kept  awake  notwithstanding  their  familiarity  with  them. 
The  result  of  this  was  that  the  ship  was  very  severely 
strained;  even  the  beam  ends,  and  joints  of  ihe  frame, 
opened. 

On  the  26th,  the  engineers  discovered  that  the  whole 
engine  had  shifted  bodily  about  three  inches  toward  the 
port  side  of  the  vessel. 

The  light  increased  rapidly.  On  the  1st,  the  window 
in  the  observatory  was  found  useful,  no  artificial  light  being 
needed  for  six  hours.  The  weather  was  almost  always 
more  or  less  cloudy. 

Mauch  mentions  in  his  journal  that  on  examina 
tion  of  the  meteorological  record  he  found  that  there  had 
only  been  one  day,  the  25th  of  November,  during  which 
there  were  no  clouds.  The  proverbial  clear  sky  of  the 


Twilight  at  Midnight.  323 

Arctic   regions  was   not   seen,   owing,   perhaps,    to   the     1872. 

March. 

proximity  of  open  water.  The  cloudy  weather  caused  the 
greatest  inconvenience  to  Mr.  Bryan  in  his  transit-work. 
The  object  of  that  work  was  to  obtain  as  many  moon- 
culminations  as  possible.  When  it  is  stated  that,  during 
four  lunations,  twelve  series  of  observations  only  were 
secured,  some  idea  of  the  amount  of  cloudy  weather  can 
be  formed. 

On  the  10th,  twilight  was  more  brilliant  at  midnight 
than  it  had  been  at  noon  during  the  month  of  December. 

Captain  Budington,  in  his  journal  of  the  13th,  says: 
"At  8.15  a.  m.,  as  the  sun  was  just  coming  up  from 
behind  the  mountains  in  the  southeast,  w^e  noticed  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  phenomena.  The  glorious  orb,  unri 
valed  in  its  magnificence,  exhibited  an  imperfect  halo  of 
about  22°  radius.  The  sky  was  clear,  and  the  lower  at 
mosphere  somewhat  misty.  Both  sides  of  the  halo  ex 
hibited  very  distinct  spectrum  colors.  They  seemed  to 
rest  upon  the  ground.  The  one  to  the  left-hand  side  had 
for  its  base  the  plain,  and  as  background  the  hills  that 
surround  our  harbor  toward  the  east,  not  more  than  two 
miles  distant;  the  other  rested  on  the  side  near  the  beach. 
The  red  color  in  the  spectrum  was  inside,  and  the  other 
colors  followed  in  their  usual  succession.  The  phenomenon 
continued  the  entire  morning.  At  1  p.  m.,  the  halo  seemed 
to  be  more  perfect,  and  the  upper  part  was  more  illuminated. 


324  A  Photograph. 

«At  the  same  time  minute  ice-crystals  began  to  fall.  The 
sky  then  cleared  up  entirely,  and  the  atmosphere  became 
extremely  pure.  During  the  rest  of  the  day,  the  sun 
shone  very  brightly  until  5  p.  m.  It  has  been  undoubt 
edly  the  most  beautiful  day  that  we  have  spent  in  the 
Arctic  regions  since  making  winter-quarters.  It  compen 
sates  us  materially  for  the  dreary  tediousness  of  the  winter. 
For  several  successive  hours  an  entire  calm  existed.  The 
temperature,  compared  with  that  of  a  few  days  a,go,  was 
pretty  high,  ranging  about  — 21°  F.  The  opposite  coast 
was  clearly  visible,  and  the  straits  were  again  partially 
covered  with  new  ice.  Most  of  the  men  were  out  enjoy 
ing  themselves  on  the  ice ;  some,  however,  preferred  a 
long  tramp  to  the  north,  a  direction  which  seems  to  be  a 
favorite  one  with  them." 

The  main-deck  awning  wras  taken  off  on  the  15th,  to 
give  light  to  the  cabin.  Its  removal  had  been  delayed  in 
order  to  allow  Dr.  Bessels  to  take  a  photograph  of  the 
ship  in  her  winter  rig.  A  very  good  negative  was  ob 
tained  from  a  position  near  the  observatory.  Dr.  Bessels 
then  took  it  to  the  ship  and  washed  it,  but  it  was  a  fatal 
operation,  as  the  whole  picture  peeled  off.  He  attributed 
the  accident  to  the  freezing  of  the  film  while  carrying  the 
negative  to  the  vessel. 

On  the  18th,  the  quarter-deck  awning  and  the  fore 
castle  awning  were  removed.  The  binnacles  were  re- 


Seals.  325 

placed    in    the    pilot-house.      When   all   this  had   heen     1872. 

JUarch. 

done  the  men  took  the  little  howitzer  upon  the  ice,, 
where  they  amused  themselves  by  firing  balls  at  an  ice 
berg. 

On  the  24th,  the  twilight  was  so  bright  that  common 
print  could  be  read  at  midnight.  The  effect  of  the  light 
and  heat  was  observable  in  the  vegetable  growth,  for  on 
the  13th  Mr.  Schumann  brought  to  the  observatory  a  sprig 
of  Salix  arctica,  the  buds  of  which  were  almost  bursting. 

The  Esquimaux  were  repaid  for  their  labors  in  hunt 
ing  by  an  occasional  sight  of  seals,  and  on  the  18th,  Hans 
shot  an  ook-gook;  he  was  not,  however,  able  to  secure  it. 

Captain  Budington,  in  his  journal  of  the  23d,  says: 
"Hans,  who  has  been  out  to  the  open  water  in  pursuit  of 
seals,  returned  towards  noon,  reporting  that  he  had  ob 
tained  one  of  the  animals.  He  took  a  sled  and  a  team  of 
dogs  with  which  to  transport  it  to  the  ship,  and  soon  came 
back  with  his  trophy,  which,  to  our  greatest  surprise, 
proved  to  be  a  Phoca  fcetida,  a  very  rare  species.  Its 
skin  is  of  a  dark  grayish-black  color,  and  entirely  covered 
with  wiiite  concentric  rings.  The  doctor  prepared  the 
seal  for  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  Upon  dissection  it 
was  found  to  contain  a  foetus,  weighing  seven  and  a  half 
pounds,  and  covered  with  hair  of  a  silver-gray  color. 
Hans  deserves  much  credit  for  his  perseverance  in  catch 
ing  the  seal.  Watching  at  a  hole  made  in  new  ice  of 


326  Land  and  Water  Animals. 

187*5.     "about  three  inches  thickness,  he  at  last  caught  sight  of 

March. 

the  animal,  and  fired  at  it.  The  water,  however,  swept  it 
under  the  ice,  and  he  was  compelled  to  take  off  his  coat, 
and  with  his  arm  reaching  into  the  water,  he  felt  with 
the  spear  all  around  under  the  ice  where  the  seal  might 
have  floated  to.  Three  holes  he  was  forced  to  make  in 
the  ice  before  he  found  the  animal  and  properly  secured 
it.  Nobody,  I  believe,  was  happier  to-day  than  Hans, 
for  during  the  past  four  weeks  it  was  rather  hard  for  him 
to  go  out  hunting  daily,  and  return  disappointed." 

The  next  day  Hans  shot  another  seal,  and  came  to 
the  ship  to  procure  a  sled.  He  carried  also  his  kyak  out 
to  the  open  water  to  aid  him  in  obtaining  it,  but  before  he 
reached  the  place  of  attack  the  animal  had  disappeared. 

On  the  8th,  the  Esquimaux  hunting  on  the  land  saw 
a  rabbit,  or  Arctic  hare.  The  next  day  many  small  tracks 
were  found  on  the  snow,  which,  after  considerable  discus 
sion,  were  pronounced  to  be  those  of  a  little  Arctic  animal 
called  the  "  lemming."  This  occasioned  considerable  sur 
prise,  since  the  lemming  was  not  known  to  exist  on  the 
western  coast  of  Greenland.  On  the  14th,  Dr.  Bessels 
reported  that  he  had  seen  a  snow-bird  in  the  ravine  back 
of  the  observatory. 

On  the  16th,  Messrs.  Chester  and  Bryan,  while  taking 
a  walk  on  the  ice,  saw  a  gull  flying  toward  the  north. 

On  the  22d,  William  Nindemann  and  Gustavus  Lin- 


Shrimps.  327 

quist  went  to  examine  a  steel-trap  set  by  them   a  few     1878. 

March. 

days  before.  They  were  much  gratified  to  find  that  the 
leg  of  a  very  fine  white  fox  was  firmly  held  by  the  trap. 
The  poor  animal  had  frozen  to  death.  They  offered  it,  as 
they  did  everything  they  obtained,  to  Dr.  Bessels  for  a 
specimen;  but  on  account  of  the  condition  of  the  leg  he 
was  obliged  to  decline  it. 

Many  attempts  had  been  made  to  obtain  some  ani 
mal  life  from  the  water  through  the  tide-hole,  but  they 
had  been  unsuccessful,  if  the  shrimps  be  excepted  with 
which  the  water  was  fairly  alive.  Some  of  the  seamen 
proposed  attempting  to  use  them  as  food.  They  lowered 
a  piece  of  pork  into  the  fire-hole,  and  after  a  few  moments 
they  pulled  it  up,  covered  with  the  little  creatures,  of  which 
the  largest  were  not  more  than  an  inch  and  a  half  long; 
they  varied  in  length  some  being  almost  too  small  to  be  seen. 

The  water  was  seventy-two  feet  deep,  and  seemed 
to  be  alive  with  them.  In  a  little  while  the  seamen 
obtained  a  large  pot-full.  They  were  cooked  for  lunch, 
but,  perhaps  for  want  of  skill,  they  did  not  make  a 
palatable  dish. 

On  the  24th,  two  of  the  men  reported  that  they  had 
seen  two  white  gulls.  On  the  25th,  Captain  Budington, 
while  taking  a  walk  to  Cape  Lupton  for  the  purpose  of 
examining  the  ice,  saw  two  ptarmigans,  which  he  sup 
posed  were  the  birds  seen  the  day  before  by  the  men  and 


328  Ferocity  of  the  Dogs. 

18T2.     mistaken  for  gulls.     The  same  morning  Robert  Kruger 

March. 

and  Fred.  Aunting  reported  seeing  two  ptarmigans  on  an 
iceberg  and  firing  at  one  without  success.  It  was  con 
cluded  that  they  were  the  same  birds  that  had  been  seen 
by  Captain  Budington. 

On  the  24th,  one  of  the  men,  in  a  tramp  over  the  land, 
found,  among  some  moss  on  a  stone,  two  caterpillars, 
which  he  brought  to  Dr.  Bessels  for  his  collection. 

Mauch's  journal  of  the  3d  says:  "  To-day  I  have 
to  announce  a  sad  loss.  Our  yellow  Esquimaux  bitch 
4  Smarty '  is  no  more.  The  poor  animal  had  young  ones 
yesterday,  some  of  which  were  devoured  by  the  other 
dogs  as  soon  as  they  were  born.  About  9  a.  m.,  one  of 
the  men  found  the  dog  on  deck  and  other  dogs  tearing 
her  to  peices,  and  swallowing  her  partly  alive.  He  chased 
the  dogs  all  outside,  and  gave  *  Smarty  '  a  nice  place  in  a 
corner,  where  she  soon  was  stiff.  Indeed,  the  voracious 
ness  of  these  Esquimaux  dogs  is  beyond  all  limit.  Not 
satisfied  with  her  young  ones,  they  tried  to  eat  her  up, 
too,  just  because  the  poor  animal  in  her  weakness  could 
not  defend  herself.  We  can  soon  tell  what  good  these 
dogs  will  do  us." 

On  the  6th,  there  were  twenty-five  dogs  in  fine  con 
dition  for  sledge  travel.  Many  of  the  others  also  could  be 
used,  so  that  there  were  enough  to  equip  two  or  three 
parties  for  explorations  overland.  On  the  12th,  and  for 


Preparations  for  Sledge- Journeys.  329 

a  few  days  previous,  several  of  the  dogs  were  troubled     18T2. 

March. 

with  fits. 

The  fire-hole  had  been  encroached  upon  so  much  by 
snow-drifts  and  by  the  accumulation  of  ice  around  it 
— hourly  removed  from  its  surface  to  keep  it  open — that 
the  labor  of  the  tidal  observers  was  very  much  increased. 
A  new  fire-hole  was  cut  on  the  4th,  about  eighty  feet  from 
the  vessel,  clear  of  the  snow-drift.  The  thickness  of  the 
ice  was  found  to  be  4  feet  and  1  inch. 

Dr.  Bessels  suffered  at  times  considerably  from  his 
eyes,  so  that  he  was  unable  to  take  his  regular  watch  at 
the  observatory.  He  had  already  begun  to  prepare  for 
one  of  the  sledge-journeys  which  he  contemplated  making 
before  it  was  time  to  use  the  boats.  It  was  conceded 
that,  if  possible,  the  boats  should  be  used  for  northern  ex 
ploration.  The  men  were  more  familiar  with  boats,  more 
could  be  carried  in  them,  and  under  favorable  circum 
stances  a  longer  journey  could  be  made.  The  open  water 
seen  during  the  winter  was  encouraging,  and  led  to  the 
expectation  that  when  summer  began  the  straits  would  be 
sufficiently  free  to  admit  of  boat- navigation.  Captain 
Budington  proposed  to  do  his  utmost  to  attain  a  high  lati 
tude  in  boats.  It  was,  however,  very  well  understood 
that  they  could  hardly  be  expected  to  start  before  June. 
In  the  mean  time  there  was  the  sledding  season  of  nearly 
three  months  for  that  kind  of  work,  by  which  the  success 


330  Frozen  Kerosene  Oil. 

187S.     of  the  English  Franklin  "Relief  Expeditions  was  attained. 

March. 

Dr.  Bessels,  to  whom  the  direction  of  sledge-journeys,  in 
the  event  of  Hall's  death,  was  expressly  given  by  Mr. 
Eobeson,  exerted  himself  to  employ  this  means  to  the  best 
advantage.  In  his  plan  of  operations  he  proposed  to  fit 
out  at  least  three  parties.  All  were  very  much  rejoiced 
at  this  exhibition  of  zeal  and  activity.  On  the  22d,  he 
was  prevented  from  starting  by  the  threatening  indications 
of  the  barometer. 

Mauch's  journal  of  the  8th  says:  "I  saw  for  the  first 
time  to-day  frozen  kerosene  oil.     The  crew  were  digging 
out  a  barrel  on  shore  from  under  the  snow,  and  they  tapped 
it  on  the  spot.     I  immediately  concluded,  being  just  in 
the  mood  to  make  some  experiments,  to  determine  the 
freezing-point  of  kerosene  oil.     I  filled  the  basin  which 
stands  in  the  observatory  with  the  oil,  introduced  one  of 
our  best   spirit-thermometers   into  it,  and  watched   the 
temperature  until  the  oil  began  to  coagulate  or  get  solid. 
This   point  I   found   to    be     -32°.5   F.      I  exposed  it 
still  longer,  expecting  to  be  able  to  get  a  hard  cake,  but 
in  vain;  the  temperature  fell  as  low  as  — 44°  during  the 
time.     The  consistency  of  the  oil,  when  thus  frozen,  may 
be  compared  with  melting  wax.     It  has  a  milk-like,  trans 
lucent  color,  and  retains  impressions  with  the  finger  very 
easily.     It  seems  not  to  crystalize,  for  I  was  not  a,ble  to 
detect  any  crystal  in  it,  even  under  a  microscope." 


Vegetable  Fossils.  331 

During  one    of   his   hunting  expeditions,   Joe  rode     1872. 
down  to  the  southward  and  westward,  and  saw  what  was 
supposed  to  be  a  large  bay,  to  which  was  afterward  given 
the  name  of  "Petermann's  Fiord." 

The  16th  was  a  beautiful  day;  all  hands  enjoyed 
it.  On  the  ice  near  the  ship  the  four  Esquimaux  children 
were  playing  very  happily.  Mr.  Meyer  was  at  Cape 
Lupton  surveying;  Mr.  Schumann  was  on  the  ice  sketch 
ing  the  vessel;  Mr.  Odell  was  engaged  in  repairing  the 
snow  steps  that  led  up  to  the  gangway — building  marble 
steps,  as  he  called  them;  and  Fred.  Aunting  was  flying 
what  he  called  a  North  Pole  kite,  with  a  small  flag  attached. 

On  the  17th,  Jamka  and  Nindermann  found  upon 
Offley  Island  some  very  valuable  fossils.  They  were 
the  only  vegetable  fossils  that  had  been  discovered  by 
the  expedition,  and  were  very  fine  specimens.  They 
looked  like  petrified  pieces  of  sugar-cane  or  bamboo.  All 
the  specimens  that  were  collected,  upon  their  return  to  the 
vessel,  were  at  once  given  to  Dr.  Bessels  for  preservation. 
As  the  days  lengthened,  the  people  took  more  exercise,  and 
the  time  between  meals  began  to  seem  long.  To  remedy 
this,  on  the  20th,  the  three  meals  were  restored,  and  the 
hours  prescribed  were,  7.30  a.  m.,  11.30  a.  m.,  5.30  p.  m. 

During  part  of  the  20th,  the  men  were  employed  in 
making  small  canvas  bags  for  use  on  the  boat  journey.  It 
is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  the  details  of  the  many  ex- 


332  Sledge  Journey  South. 

1872.     cursion  parties;  none  of  them  were  without  interest,  but 

March. 

nothing  new  was  discovered. 

At  7  a.  m.  of  the  27th,  Dr.  Bessels,  accompanied  hy 
Mr.  Bryan  and  Joe,  with  a  team  of  fourteen  dogs, 
equipped  and  provisioned  for  fourteen  days,  set  out  on 
a  sledge  journey  to  Cape  Constitution  to  connect  Kane's 
survey  with  Thank-God  Harbor.  At  1  p.  m.,  a  mes 
sage  was  received  from  them  saying  that  they  had  for 
gotten  the  India-rubber  camp-blankets,  and  requesting 
that  they  be  sent.  This  was  written  on  a  piece  of  wood 
and  sent  by  a  dog,  who  carried  it  on  his  neck.  It  was 
brought  to  Captain  Budington  by  one  of  the  men  on  the 
dog's  arrival.  The  blankets  were  sent  by  Hans  and 
another  man,  who  found  the  party  occupying  a  snow- 
house  on  Offley  Island. 

The  Arctic  day  was  so  far  advanced  that  no  artificial 
light  was  needed  in  the  cabin,  even  at  midnight. 

On  the  29th,  the  fog  was  so  thick  that  the  observa 
tory  could  not  be  seen  from  the  ship.  The  thermometer 
was  — 13°,  and  many  ice-crystals  were  deposited. 

On  the  30th,  Peter  Johnson  saw  a  hare  on  the  plain 
east  of  the  observatory.  The  men  were  eager  to  kill  it, 
and  at  4  a.  m.  of  the  31st,  one  of  them  started  in  pursuit, 
returning  with  it  at  breakfast-time.  He  had  found  the 
tracks  in  the  fresh  snow,  and  was  soon  able  to  overtake  it. 
The  hare  was  not  afraid,  but  stood  on  its  hind  legs  and 


Ptarmigans.  333 


looked  at  its  enemy  with  curiosity.     In  the  course  of  the 

J  J  March. 


1872. 

forenoon  the  men  brought  to  the  ship  eight  ptarmigans, 
killed  on  the  plain  southeast  of  the  observatory. 

The  highest  temperature  during  the  month  wa«  +4°; 
the  lowest, — 48°.5  ;  while  the  mean  was  ahout — 23°.2. 

The  coal  used  during  the  month  was  7,891  pounds, 
distributed  as  follows : 

Pounds. 

Cabin 1,892 

Forecastle 1,973 

Galley ..   2,665 

Observatory '. 1, 361 

This  was  an  increase  of  291  pounds  over  the  amount 
consumed  during  the  month  of  February. 


XV. 


^  i  i*  re  A  n  y 


•  A  UFo  j;.  VIA. 


-• 

>—  — 


CH  APT  Ell 


On  the   1st  of  April,   Captain  Budington  began  to 

April. 

make  arrangements  for  his  share  of  the  spring  work.  He 
decided  that  he  would  send  out  two  boats  as  soon  as  the 
condition  of  the  ice  rendered  it  advisable,  and  had  the  two 
smaller  whale-boats  brought  from  the  shore,  and  placed 
on  the  ice  near  the  ship,  that  they  might  be  thoroughly 
fitted  out.  He  appointed  Mr.  Chester  to  command  one, 
and  Captain  Tyson  the  other,  and  they  were  directed  to 
select  their  boats  and  crews. 

The  crew  of  boat  No.  1,  named  by  the  commanding 
officer  the  "U.  S.  Grant,"  comprised: 

Mr.  H.  C.  Chester,  first  mate,  commanding. 

Mr.  Frederick  Meyer,  scientist. 

Hermann  Siemens. 

Robert  Kruger. 

Frederick  Aunting. 

Frederick  Jamka. 
Boat  No.  2,  named  the  " George  M.  Robeson:" 

Capt.  George  E.  Tyson,  assistant  navigator,  com 
manding. 


338  The  Boats- Crews. 

1872.  Dr.  Ernil  Bessels,  scientist. 

April. 

Gustavus  Linquist. 

Henry  Hobby. 

Peter  Johnson. 

William  Nindemann. 

The  commanders  were  ordered  to  have  their  boats 
and  crew  in  readiness  to  start  the  1st  of  May. 

At  2  p.  m.,  Mr.  Bryan  and  Joe  started  to  rejoin  Dr. 
Bessels,  whom  they  had  left  on  Offley  Island,  with  a  sled 
which  they  had  brought  back  to  be  repaired.  Hans,  with 
another  sled,  accompanied  them,  on  the  complaint  of  Joe 
that  the  work  was  too  hard  for  him.  In  the  afternoon 
two  ptarmigans  were  caught;  a  wolf  also  was  seen.  On 
the  2d,  canvas  covers  were  made  for  the  boats.  Mr. 
Chester  superintended  the  work,  and  by  his  direction  pro 
vision-lockers  were  built,  and  boards  added,  extending  the 
height  of  the  gunwale  six  inches.  The  continued  increase 
in  the  sunlight  was  still  noticeable.  At  this  time,  the  sun's 
rays  were  illuminating  the  mountain  peaks  at  3- a.  m. 

At  8.30  p.  m.,  his  center  was  slowly  moving  over 
the  tops  of  the  mountains  in  Grinnell  Land;  at  9.30, 
his  upper  limb  could  still  be  seen  through  one  of  the 
gorges.  Soon  the  sun  would  be  entirely  above  the  hori 
zon  for  the  whole  twenty-four  hours. 

On  the  3d,  the  solar  radiation  black-bulb  ther 
mometer  in  vacuo  read,  when  at  its  highest  +  59°.7,  the 


A  Remarkable  Ravine.  339 

free  bulb  -f-  50°,  while  the  temperature  of  the  air  was 


On  the  4th,  Mr.  Chester  fastened  on  the  stern  of  his 
boat  a  large  reel,  upon  which  was  carried  2,500  fathoms 
of  sounding-line.  The  seamen  had  measured  the  line, 
and  the  reel  was  arranged  for  the  work  of  taking  sound 
ings.  Mr.  Odell  and  the  firemen  were  employed  in  mak 
ing  iron  bolts  and  braces  for  use  in  the  boats. 

o 

Mauch's  journal  of  the  7th,  says  :  "I  have  visited 
the  ravine  east  of  the  observatory,  distant  about  two 
miles,  and  shall  never  regret  the  time  I  spent  there. 
The  sight  which  I  enjoyed  was  beyond  my  expectations. 
A  narrow  gorge  leads  into  it,  on  each  side  of  which  the 
slaty  overhanging  layers  of  Devonic  limestone,  much 
broken  and  cliffy,  give  it  the  aspect  of  the  ruins  of  some 
of  those  old  castles  that  I  saw  on  my  trip  down  the  Rhine. 
But  far  more  grand  and  magnificent  it  gets  the  farther  we 
proceed.  1  meet  with  a  large  snow-wall  at  least  one  hun 
dred  feet  high,  perfectly  perpendicular,  except  on  the  top, 
where  it  seems  inclined  to  tumble  over  and  bury  a  person 
that  gets  too  near;  but,  to  proceed  further,  I  must  pass  the 
dangerous  spot.  Here  is  a  ravine  leading  out.  I  try  to 
ascend  it  with  hands  and  feet,  using  my  knife  to  cut  steps 
whenever  I  get  on  hard  snow.  I  nearly  reach  the  top, 
when  I  find  an  obstacle  in  my  way  in  the  shape  of  a  bowl 
der,  which  is  jammed  between  the  rocks  and  makes  a  fur- 


April. 


340  Return  of  the  Sledge-Party. 

1872.  «ther  attempt  impossible.  I  am  compelled  to  return  by 
the  same  dangerous  route,  and  conclude  to  follow  the  ravine 
to  its  end,  where,  as  I  know  from  others  that  have  visited 
the  place  before,  an  ascent  is  possible.  At  last  I  am  be 
fore  a  snow- wall  which  appears  to  be  the  end  of  the  ra 
vine,  and  by  cutting  steps  into  it  with  my  knife,  as  I  have 
done  before,  I  find  myself  on  top  of  the  hills.  From  there 
I  conclude  to  return  immediately  on  board." 

At  11.30  a.  m.  on  the  8th,  Dr.  Bessels  and  his  party 
returned  to  the  ship  from  their  sledge-journey.  They 
were  all  in  good  health  and  spirits,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Doctor,  who  was  suffering  from  snow-blindness. 
The  following  brief  account  of  the  journey  is  taken  chiefly 
from  Captain  Budington's  journal. 

The  course  at  first  was  nearly  south.  At  11.30  a. 
m.  of  the  27th  of  March,  a  fog  gathered  about  them  and 
a  light  snow  began  to  fall.  The  view  was  very  limited, 
and  they  soon  found  themselves  lost  among  the  hum 
mocks.  The  traveling  was  slow  and  laborious.  The 

o 

dogs  continually  needed  assistance  ;  the  sled  being  heavily 
loaded,  the  work  was  by  no  means  easy.  At  1.15  p.  m., 
the  coast  was  reached.  The  fo<r  and  thick  snow-storm 

o 

still  filled  the  air,  and  nothing  definite  in  regard  to  their 
position  could  be  determined.  After  some  discussion 
Joe's  view  was  adopted,  that  they  should  move  down  the 
coast  toward  the  southwest.  At  4.30  p.  m.,  after  much 
labor  on  account  of  the  rough  ice,  the  southern  fiord  was 


Building  an  Igloo.  341 

reached.     On  arriving  at  the  southwestern  end  of  Offley     1872. 

March. 

Island  they  resolved  to  encamp.  Joe  found  a  deep  bank 
of  snow,  which,  by  piercing  it  with  his  spear,  he  proved  to 
be  sufficiently  hard  to  use  in  the  construction  of  a  house. 
With  his  long-handled  snow-knife  he  cut  several  blocks  of 
about  the  same  size.  They  were  from  two  to  three  feet 
in  length,  about  eighteen  inches  wide,  and  six  inches  thick. 
The  larger  surfaces  of  the  blocks  were  slightly  curved  to 
suit  the  form  of  the  igloo.  When  nearly  enough  blocks 
were  cut,  he  marked  out  a  circle  within  which  he  cut  out 
other  blocks,  by  means  of  which  the  floor  was  lowered 
the  thickness  of  one  block  below  the  general  surface  of 
the  snow.  The  widest  one  he  reserved  until  he  closed  up 
the  first  layer,  and  then  used  it  to  begin  his  spiral.  Each 
block  was  firmly  placed  and  fully  supported  by  bringing 
the  beveled  edges  into  contact  with  each  other.  After  the 
first  course,  the  blocks  were  made  to  incline  inwardly  by 
beveling  off  the  edges  upon  which  they  stood.  It  was 
soon  finished;  Joe  stood  inside  of  a  complete  and  perfect 
snow-dome.  The  final  touches  were  given  to  it  by  smooth 
ing  off  the  surface  and  filling  up  the  cracks.  Then  Joe 
selected  a  place  for  the  entrance,  and  still  further  sunk 
the  floor  by  a  space  2  feet  wide,  18  inches  deep,  and 
about  3  feet  long  from  the  edge  of  the  wall  back  toward 
the  center.  When  this  floor  was  completed,  a  hole  was 
cut  through  the  wall  for  a  door. 


342  Furnishing  the  Igloo. 

1872.  When  the  house  is  built  on  a  deep  snow  bank,  the 

wall  is  sometimes  not  touched,  as  an  entrance  can  be  dug 
out  of  the  snow  under  it.  Then  an  arched  way  is  built 
outside  to  protect  the  entrance  from  the  wind.  A  small 
house  is  built  near  by  in  which  to  store  the  articles  of 
food  that  are  not  immediately  wanted. 

The  process  of  moving  into  the  house  commenced. 
First  the  rubber  blankets  were  spread  over  the  floor,  and 
upon  them  were  laid  the  sleeping-bags  and  extra  clothing. 
The  provisions  were  stored  on  each  side  the  entrance,  and 
the  Esquimaux  lamp  placed  in  position.  While  this  was 
going  on,  the  dogs  were  fed  and  Dr.  Bessels  prepared  the 
supper,  which,  when  the  house  was  finished  and  furnished, 
all  went  in  to  eat.  Joe  fitted  a  large  snow-block  into  the 
door,  and  cut  a  small  hole  near  the  top  of  the  house  for 
ventilation.  The  whole  party  then  crawled  into  their 
sleeping-bags,  and  lying  with  their  heads  to  the  entrance 
were  soon  asleep.  They  lay  eighteen  inches  below  the 
surface  of  the  snow,  protected  from  the  coldest  winds. 
Joe  lighted  the  lamp  and  placed  the  wet  stockings  and  mit 
tens  on  a  frame  stretched  over  it.  But  the  lamp  was  not 
large  enough  to  dry  all  the  articles,  and  many  were  placed 
under  the  sleepers  to  receive  the  warmth  of  their  bodies, 
which  protected  the  clothing  from  being  frozen. 

Under  these  circumstances  the  temperature  soon  rises 
to  +35°  F.,  and  then  every  one  is  comfortable. 


Traveling  up  the  Fiord.  343 

Early  on  the  28th,  the  party  walked  over  the  island,      1872. 

ITIarch. 

examining  and  surveying  it.  From  the  summit  Cape 
Lupton  could  be  seen,  and  it  also  could  be  perceived  that 
by  the  projection  of  Cape  Tyson,  Offley  Island  had 
appeared  from  Cape  Lupton  to  be  a  peninsula, 

Leaving  some  of  the  provisions  in  the  snow-house, 
at  fifteen  minutes  past  noon,  they  started  up  the  fiord,  the 
ice  of  which  was  at  first  smooth  and  suited  for  rapid 
traveling.  The  cause  of  the  wide  track  in  it,  running  up 
the  fiord  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  was  the  subject  of 
much  speculation.  Its  edge  was  bordered  by  large  hum 
mocks,  and  the  whole  did  not  seem  to  be  the  work 
of  more  than  one  season.  The  land  from  Cape  Mary 
Cleland  is  low  and  extends  eastward,  forming  a  bay. 
The  course  of  the  party  was  directed  toward  the  cape  at 
the  other  extremity  of  this  bay.  An  immense  ook-gook 
was  seen  lying  on  the  ice  near  the  crack.  The  dogs  see 
ing  the  animal,  and  being  eager  to  rush  at  it,  were  with 
difficulty  kept  quiet.  Joe  went  carefully  forward  with 
his  rifle,  but  before  he  could  get  within  shooting-distance, 
the  beast  became  alarmed  and  rolled  into  the  water. 

A  long  line  of  cliffs  was  found  to  begin  from  the 
second  cape,  forming,  for  a  great  distance,  a  perpendicular 
wall  of  limestone,  which  enters  directly  into  the  water 
without  any  debris  at  its  foot.  On  the  northern  side  this  line 
of  cliffs  is  somewhat  broken,  far  in  the  distance,  by  glacier 


344  Ice-Bergs 


march. 


1872.     discharges,  while  on  the  southern  side  of  the  fiord  the  cliffs 

-  O         ' 

are  neither  so  steep  nor  so  regular;  the  glacier  resting  on 
them  can  be  seen.  One  feature,  however,  is  common  to 
both  sides.  This  is  a  peculiarly  marked  and  well-defined 
stratum  which  is  seen  to  rise  above  the  ice,  and  can  be 
traced  by  the  eye  to  a  great  distance  toward  the  southeast, 
where  it  ascends  to  the  top  of  the  cliff.  The  southern 
cliffs  present  a  similar  formation.  After  rounding  the 
second  cape  the  traveling  was  very  good,  except  where 
patches  of  deep  snow  and  difficult  cracks  were  encountered. 
Here  the  experience  of  Joe  was  brought  into  use,  and  a 
great  deal  of  time  was  saved  by  his  judicious  selection  of 
crossings.  At  2.30  p.  m.,  it  appeared  that  the  fiord  was 
shut  up  by  immense  icebergs ;  on  going  nearer,  howrever, 
a  passage  was  discovered  quite  close  to  the  cliff.  At  4.45 
p.  m.,  coming  to  a  crack  which  could  not  be  crossed,  and 
where  the  bergs  closing  up  prevented  further  traveling  by 
the  sled,  the  party  encamped.  They  built  a  snow-house 
and  passed  the  night  very  comfortably. 

Early  on  the  29th,  a  ptarmigan  halted  in  its  flight  on 
the  ice  near  by  them,  but  not  long  enough  for  the  hunters 
to  get  their  guns  loaded.  Dr.  Bessels  and  Joe  started  on 
foot  to  ascertain  if  there  was  any  possibility  of  proceed 
ing  in  the  sled  farther  up  the  fiord.  With  great  difficulty 
they  crossed  the  crack,  and  then  walked  a  short  distance 
along  the  cliffs.  Their  progress  was,  however,  soon  ar- 


Observations.  345 

rested  by  bergs.     They  climed  the  highest  to  examine  the 


March. 

condition  of  the  ice.  As  far  as  they  could  see  there  was 
a  confused  accumulation  of  bergs,  crowded  closely  to 
gether,  leaving  such  spaces  only  as  were  due  to  irregular 
ities  of  form.  The  fiord  seemed  filled  from  shore  to  shore 
with  these  bergs,  which  varied  in  shape  and  size,  but  not 
much  in  height.  The  termination  of  the  fiord  was  not 
visible  ;  its  general  direction  was  southeast. 

Dr.  Bessels,  on  his  return,  tried  to  take  a  sounding 
in  the  crack  near  the  encampment  ;  all  the  line  was  run 
out  —  90  fathoms  —  without  finding  bottom.  Mr.  Bryan, 
during  the  day,  wTas  engaged  in  determining  the  position 
of  the  encampment,  in  making  observations  for  declina 
tion  and  dip,  and  in  taking  the  necessary  bearings  and 
angles  for  the  correct  delineation  of  the  coast-lines.  The 
latitude  observed  was  81°  05'  N.  With  the  small  Casella 
theodolite  the  height  of  the  cliffs  was  found  to  be  six  hun 
dred  feet.  A  very  prominent  turret  was  selected,  and  not 
only  its  height,  but  its  distance  and  bearing  from  the 
camp  determined.  The  peak,  from  its  shape  and  form 
was  named  the  Devil's  Thumb,  after  the  large  island  in 
Melville  Bay  which  bears  that  name. 

On  the  30th,  a  heavy  snow-storm  and  a  thick  foff 

*J  c? 

prevented  the  party  from  returning  to  Offlcy  Island.  It 
cleared  up,  however,  during  the  morning,  and  at  1  p.  m. 
they  set  out.  They  soon  came  to  a  crack  which  seemed 


346  An  Accident. 

1873.    much  wider  than  that  which  they  crossed  on  their  OUt- 
March. 

ward  trip,  and  they  were  delayed  some  time  before  a  suit 
able  place  for  crossing  could  be  found.  Joe  went  ahead, 
and,  finding  a  place,  made  a  signal  for  the  others  to  come 
on.  The  dogs  w^ere  going  very  nicely  and  needed  no 
urging,  but  Mr.  Bryan,  wishing  to  practice  with  the  whip, 
struck  at  them.  Instead  of  hitting  the  dogs,  however,  he 
swung  the  end  of  the  long  lash  around  and  hit  Dr.  Bessels 
a  violent  blow  on  the  face,  which  caused  great  pain  and 
called  forth  some  remarks  of  a  significant  character ;  but 
the  doctor's  equanimity  was  soon  restored,  and  it  was 
mutually  agreed  that  whip-practice  should  be  deferred  to 
a  more  fitting  occasion. 

Arriving  at  their  encampment  on  Offley  Island  at 
5.30  p.  m.,  they  found  that  their  snow-house  had  bent  in 
so  much  by  the  warm  weather  that  they  were  obliged  to 
take  off  the  top  and  rebuild  it. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  3 1st,  they  were  up 
preparing  to  start  toward  the  south.  The  sled  was  loaded 
near  the  house,  and  in  its  passage,  over  the  rough  ice 
down  to  the  smooth  ice  of  the  fiord,  it  broke.  Joe  de 
clared  that  it  could  not  be  mended,  and  that  Le  would  be 
obliged  to  return  to  the  ship  after  another;  accordingly  it 
was  unloaded  and  temporarily  patched  up  for  the  trip.  Dr. 
Bessels  concluded  to  stay  on  the  island  to  make  geological 
observations  and  collect  mineral  ogical  specimens.  One  of 


Solitude.  347 

the  dogs  was  left  as  a  companion  for  him,  and  Mr.  Bryan     1872. 

April. 

and  Joe  returned  to  the  ship.  It  afterwards  appeared 
that  Joe  broke  the  sled  on  purpose,  by  letting  it  fall,  while 
heavily  laden,  on  the  point  of  one  of  the  runners.  When 
the  doctor  had  first  spoken  to  him  about  this  excursion, 
Joe  proposed  to  take  two  sleds,  Hans  driving  one ;  com 
plaining  that  it  would  be  too  hard  for  him  to  do  all  the 
work.  Dr.  Bessels  did  not  think  so,  and  wishing  to  carry 
as  few  provisions  as  possible,  decided  to  have  but  one  sled. 
Joe  apparently  agreed  to  it,  but  on  the  first  opportunity 
made  an  excuse  to  return  to  the  ship.  When  he  arrived 
there,  he  told  Captain  Budington  that  he  must  have  Hans 
and  another  sled ;  that  he  could  not  manage  one  so  heavily 
loaded. 

Captain  Budington  accordingly  sent  Hans;  and  the 
party,  now  consisting  of  Mr.  Bryan,  Joe,  and  Hans, 
reached  the  island  at  /.45  p.  m.,  April  1st.  They  found 
the  doctor  well  and  in  good  .spirits,  having  met  with  no 
trouble  during  his  solitary  sojourn.  Those  who  were  on 
board  were  loud  in  their  praise  of  the  doctor's  bravery  in 
being  willing  to  remain  alone  so  far  from  the  ship,  even 
for  that,  short  time. 

On  the  2d,  at  7.45  a.  m.,  the  whole  party  started 
toward  the  south.  They  rounded  the  southeastern  ex 
tremity  of  Offiey  Island  and  crossed  the  mouth  of  the 
fiord.  The  traveling  proved  to  be  very  good  indeed,  with 


348  Kennedy  Channel. 

1872.     only  occasional  cracks  and  rough  ice,  and  at  11.30  a.  m., 

April. 

they  reached  the  other  side  of  the  fiord.  A  bay  extends 
from  the  cape,  at  the  southern  entrance  of  the  fiord,  to 
the  cape  at  the  northeast  entrance  of  Kennedy  Channel. 
They  steered  across  this  hay,  making  a  direct  course  from 
cape  to  cape.  Both  capes  are  quite  high,  while  the  inter 
vening  land  rises  gradually  in  terraces,  being  very  low  near 
the  coast  and  rising  to  an  equal  height  with  the  capes  some 
miles  in  the  interior. 

They  reached  Cape  Morton  at  3  p.  m.  Joe  Island 
bears  about  west  from  this  cape.  Upon  rounding  it  they 
found  the  tracks  of  a  bear.  The  ice  was  very  rough,  a 
large  portion  of  it  being  young  ice,  with  many  cracks. 
They  saw  here  the  first  signs  of  an  ice-foot  since  leaving 
the  ship.  The  land  now  turned  toward  the  east,  and  a 
fiord  was  seen  extending  inland,  on  the  other  side  of  which 
was  an  island  lying  under  a  very  large  and  bold  headland. 
This  was  thought  by  them  to  be  Cape  Constitution,  the 
object  of  their  journey.  They  then  directed  'their  course 
toward  Hannah  Island.  The  traveling  was  very  bad; 
they  were  obliged  to  use  the  greatest  discretion  in  select 
ing  their  route.  The  ice-foot  was  the  safest,  but  frequently 
they  found  it  so  completely  blocked  up  that  they  were 
compelled  to  seek  the  more  insecure  ice  of  the  straits. 
This  was  frequently  young  ice,  hardly  able  to  bear  the 
weight  of  the  loaded  sled;  at  times  they  escaped  breaking 


A  Bear  Killed.  349 

through  only  by  dashing  over  the  thin  places.  Lifting  the  1872. 
sleds  up  and  down  from  the  ice-foot  and  over  the  rough 
hummocks  was  not  an  easy  task;  all  became  very  weary. 
While  striking  across  the  fiord  several  bear-tracks  and  in 
numerable  fox-tracks  were  seen,  in  such  succession  that 
foxes  seemed  to  be  following  the  bears  as  constant  com 
panions.  After  great  labor  and  not  a  little  danger  the 
island  was  reached  at  8.30  p.  m.,  and  an  encampment 
made  on  its  western  side. 

On  the  3d,  the  natives,  very  weary  with  their  labors 
of  the  previous  day,  were  allowed  to  go  off  to  the  open 
water  to  hunt  seals.  Several  were  killed,  but  only  one 
was  secured.  Mr.  Bryan  occupied  the  day  in  taking  ob 
servations.  The  latitude  observed  was  81°  07'.  Dr.  Bes- 
sels  attempted  to  make  a  trip  up  the  fiord,  but  the  dogs 
refused  to  go  and  proved  to  be  the  masters.  The  next  day 
Joe  drove  the  dogs,  and,  at  7.30  a.  m.,  they  started  up  the 
fiord,  into  which  several  arms  of  a  glacier  emptied.  Its 
head  was  about  twelve  miles  from  the  encampment.  On 
their  return  they  met  a  bear,  which  Joe  killed  after  an 
exciting  and  interesting  hunt.  They  arrived  at  the  en 
campment  at  midnight.  Hans  had  been  hunting  all  day. 

Cape  Bryan  was  found  to  be  twelve  hundred  feet 
high.  The  party  supposed  from  its  latitude  that  it  was 
the  Cape  Constitution  of  Kane,  which  was  only  known  by 
the  description  of  Morton  as  having  perpendicular  sides 


350  Gape  Bryan. 

1872.     and  bein£  flanked  by  two  islands.     Joe  and  Hannah  Isl- 

Ap.il. 

ands,  though  not  exactly  answering  the  description  of 
"Franklin  and  Crozier  Islands,  were  at  first  thought  to  be 
the  same,  and  it  only  remained  to  ascertain  if  the  cape 
was  perpendicular.  As  it  did  not  look  so  from  the  island, 
it  was  determined  to  test  it  by  personal  examination. 
Accordingly  on  the  5th,  at  5  p.  m.,  Dr.  Bessels,  Mr. 
Bryan,  and  Hans  set  out  for  the  cape.  The  ice-foot  was 
so  blocked  up  with  hummocks  that  it  was  impossible 
to  travel  over  it  with  the  sled.  Having  secured  the  dogs, 
they  left  the  sled  and  rounded  the  cape  on  foot.  It  did 
not  correspond  in  any  particular  with  the  description  of 
Cape  Constitution.  In  the  distance  another  cape  was  seen, 
which  entered  the  water  perpendicularly.  They  undertook 
to  go  to  this  cape  with  the  sled,  but  after  a  severe  struggle 
they  were  obliged  to  stop  when  within  a  few  miles  of  it. 
Afterwards,  arriving  there  on  foot  they  discovered  that  it 
was  not  Cape  Constitution  They  were  unable  to  proceed 
further,  on  account  of  the  serious  obstacles  in  the  way  and 
the  want  of  provisions.  Before  turning  back,  however, 
they  identified  Cape  Constitution  and  Franklin  Island,  the 
former  some  thirty  miles  distant.  The  water  was  open  in 
Kennedy  Channel  as  far  as  they  could  see.  They  regained 
the  encampment  at  3  p.  m.,  after  an  absence  of  twenty- 
two  hours,  during  which  they  had  traveled  under  great 
difficulties.  On  the  6th,  just  below  Cape  Bryan,  they  met 


The  Steward's  Sickness.  351 

Joe,  who  had  become  anxious  and  was  in  search  of  them.     187£. 

April. 

Happily  he  brought  with  him  welcome  supplies  of  pro 
visions. 

At  2  p.  m.,  the  next  day,  the  whole  party  set  out  on 
its  return  to  the  ship.  They  reached  Offley  Island  at  2  a. 
m.  of  the  8th,  where  they  breakfasted,  remaining  until 
3.45  a.  m. 

They  got  on  board  at  11  a.  m.,  as  has  been  mentioned. 
Dr.  Bessels  suffered  a  great  deal  with  his  eyes.  He  was 
obliged  to  keep  his  bed  until  the  13th,  and  was  not 
able  to  resume  his  regular  watch  at  the  observatory  until 
the  23d.  During  his  absence,  Mr.  Meyer  took  his  place, 
making  observations  each  day  for  sixteen  consecutive  hours. 

On  the  llth,  the  magnetometer  showed  that  the 
needle  was  very  much  disturbed  during  the  appearance  of 
bright  parhelia. 

The  sun,  at  midnight  of  the  16th,  shone  brightly 
above  the  mountains.  The  calm,  cool  weather  during 
the  first  part  of  April  closed  up  the  straits.  A  few  gales 
during  the  last  of  the  month  set  the  ice  again  in  motion. 

John  Herron,  the  steward,  was  laid  up  with  a  swollen 
foot,  suffering  considerably.  His  complaint  was  at  first 
pronounced  to  be  rheumatism;  but,  on  the  20th,  he  showred 
signs  of  scurvy. 

The  traces  of  the  little  lemming  attracted  a  great 
deal  of  attention,  and  many  efforts  were  made  to  catch 


302  Open  Water. 

18738.     some  of  them.     Traps  were  set  all  over  the  plain,  but  in 

April. 

vain.  On  the  17th,  Joe  and  Hans  went  off  to  the  south 
east  hunting,  but  were  obliged  to  return,  as  the  dogs  got 
into  such  a  desperate  fight  that  nothing  could  be  done 
with  them.  One  of  them  was  so  badly  injured  that  it 
was  found  necessary  to  kill  it. 

The  dogs  go  in  pairs,  which  are  inseparable.  They 
often  crowd  themselves,  while  running  with  the  sleds,  and  in 
the  hustling  together  have,  at  times,  long  and  severe  battles. 

On  the  20th,  another  copper  cylinder  was  thrown 
overboard. 

On  the  22d,  Mr.  Bryan  with  Mauch  walked  up  to  the 
fifth  cape,  above  Cape  Lupton.  From  an  elevation  of 
about  twelve  hundred  feet  they  had  a  very  extensive 
view.  They  could  see  the  west  land  as  far  as  Cape 
Joseph  Henry,  which  was  distant  about  80  or  90  miles, 
with  great  distinctness;  the  eastern  coast  was  shut  out  by 
Cape  Sumner.  Open  water  seemed  to  extend  from  shore 
to  shore,  and  from  the  third  cape  northward  for  about 
twenty  miles.  There,  a  pack  filled  the  straits,  which, 
however,  seemed  somewhat  open  toward  the  western 
coast.  A  low  cloud  extended  from  north  to  northeast, 
but  it  was  so  distant  and  faint  that  it  was  impossible  to 
tell  whether  it  was  a  water-cloud  or  not. 

On  the  24th,  the  men  amused  themselves  with  the 
howitzer. 


Successful  Hunting.  353 

Mr.  Meyer  determined  the  distance  between  the  ship     1872. 

April. 

and  the  observatory  to  be  thirteen  hundred  and  seven 
feet. 

On  the  25th,  Joe  and  Ilans  returned  from  a  musk-ox 
hunt,  for  which  they  had  left  the  ship  on  the  19th.  They 
had  killed  on  the  land  north  of  Newman's  Bay  seven 
musk-oxen,  one  rabbit,  and  two  ptarmigans ;  they  brought 
part  of  the  meat  with  them;  the  remainder  they  cached. 
In  one  of  the  cows  they  found  a  foetus,  which  they 
brought  to  Dr.  Bessels.  They  reported  having  seen  an 
Arctic  owl  and  another  herd  of  musk-cattle,  and  had  dis 
covered  four  small  islands  in  the  bay. 

On  the  27th,  a  party,  consisting  of  Mr.  Chester,  Fred. 
Jamka,  and  the  two  Esquimaux,  started  off  with  two 
teams  for  a  musk-ox  hunt. 

The  crew  had  been  employed  during  the  month  in 
clearing  off  the  deck  of  the  vessel  of  all  snow  and  ice,  in 
preparing  for  the  boat's  journey,  in  arranging  in  a  suitable 
pile  the  stores  and  provisions  which  were  to  remain  on 
shore,  and  in  transporting  others  to  the  ship. 

On  the  15th,  the  ice  from  about  the  rudder  and  pro 
peller  of  the  Polaris  was  cut  away  so  as  to  expose  them 
partially;  everything  was  in  good  order.  Only  three  men 
could  work  at  a  time,  but  as  their  relief  was  frequent, 
they  made  good  progress.  The  log  of  the  Polaris  speaks 
of  the  condition  as  follows: 


354  Icicles. 

1 87£.  «<  I  think  that  it  will  he  some  trouble  to  keep  the  Polaris 

April. 

afloat  when  she  comes  down  into  the  water  again.  Her 
sides  are  much  open.  Her  main  rail  is  broken  in  one 

place  by  the  heavy  pressure  of  the  whole  top-work  of  the 

• 

vessel  listing  over  so  much  and  for  so  long  a  time.  No 
ordinary-built  vessel  could  stand  such  a  wrenching." 

On  the  30th,  the  seamen  cut  some  of  the  ice  away 
between  the  vessel  and  the  berg  for  the  purpose  of  pre 
venting  her  from  falling  over  so  much  at  low  tide;  but 
the  object  was  not  accomplished.  The  moderation  of  the 
temperature  had  led  to  the  formation  of  great  icicles; 
some  of  them  hanging  from  the  berg  were  as  thick  as  a 
man's  arm. 

On  the  26th,  the  black-bulb  thermometer  in  vacuo 
read  +  83°.4,  the  free  one  +  17°.8,  while  the  temperature 
of  the  air  was  +4°.8.  During  this  time  the  sky  was 
clear,  and  a  light  wind  was  blowing  from  the  southeast, 
with  a  velocity  of  three  miles  an  hour. 

The  highest  temperature  during  April  was  +16°.7, 
the  lowest  — 28°.8,  and  the  mean  — 5°.7. 

In  compliance  with  the  orders  of  Captain  Budington 
the  boat-parties  had  prepared  everything  to  start  on  the 
1st  of  May.  The  temperature,  however,  remained  too 
low  for  their  journey. 

At  10  p.  in.  of  the  1st  of  May,  Mr.  Chester  and  party 
returned.  They  were  all  well,  with  the  exception  of 


The  Midnight  Sun.  355 

Mr.  Chester  and  Frederick  Jamka,  who  were  suffering     1872. 

May. 

from  snow-blindness.  They  had  killed  two  musk-oxen  on 
the  extensive  plains  north  of  Newman's  Bay,  and  had 
traveled  to  the  head  of  the  hay,  finding  a  glacier  which 
discharged  itself  at  that  point.  They  had  lost  one  dog, 
and  had  been  delayed  by  others  which  had  fits.  They 
brought  back  a  good  deal  of  meat,  winch  was  stowed  away 
in  the  pilot-house. 

On  the  4th,  a  strong  gale  from  the  northeast  pre 
vailed,  rising  to  a  velocity  of  .53  miles  per  hour;  not 
withstanding  this  there  was  no  open  water  to  be  seen 
in  the  straits.  On  the  7th,  Joe  drove  Mr.  Meyer  down  to 
the  mountain  souths  of  Polaris  Bay,  to  enable  him  to  com 
plete  the  survey  commenced  in  the  autumn;  they  started 
at  4  a.  m.,  and  did  not  return  until  7  p.  m.  During  the 
day  some  of  the  hands  were  out  hunting,  and  brought 
back  one  ptarmigan  and  one  hare. 

The  8th  was  the  warmest  day  experienced  for  some 
time,  and  the  crew  enjoyed  it.  Captain  Tyson  and  one 
of  the  men  were  out  on  the  plain  for  a  day's  hunt.  At 
midnight,  for  the  first  time,  the  sun  shone  upon  the 
observatory,  and  the  temperature  did  not  fall  below  zero. 
Observatory  Bluff  had  for  a  long  time  cast  its  shadow 
over  the  building ;  the  shadow  had  gradually  shortened 
and  now  could  not  reach  it. 

On  the  9th,  at  4  a.  m.,  Mr.  Meyer  and  Joe  started 


356  Highest  Point  on  Land. 

1872.     for  Newman's  Bay,  intending  to  survey  that  and  the  coast 

IW  ay. 

as  far  as  possible;  and,  if  time  permitted,  to  go  further 
north.  Captain  Tyson  and  Hans  set  out  at  the  same  time 
on  a  musk-ox  hunt. 

The  seamen  had  been  at  work  cleaning  the  vessel  and 
overhauling  the  rigging,  so  that,  on  the  10th,  she  was 
reported  ready  for  service,  when  freed  from  the  ice.  The 
steward  continued  to  be  quite  sick,  with  marked  symptoms 
of  scurvy.  Some  of  the  men  succeeded  in  catching  a 
•  lemming.  All  w7ere  very  much  interested  in  the  little 
creature,  as  it  was  the  first  they  had  seen. 

The  northeast  gale  of  the  llth,  had  no  apparent 
effect  upon  the  ice.  This  occasioned  much  uneasiness. 
The  hopes  of  success  in  further  northern  exploration  had 
centered  in  boat-expeditions.  The  frequent  open  water 
during  the  winter  and  spring  had  warranted  these  hopes. 
On  this  account  the  ice  of  the  straits  was  closely  watched 
for  signs  of  open  water,  which  had  disappeared  at  the 
moment  when  most  looked  for,  and  when  most  necessary. 

At  10  p.  m.,  on  the  14th,  Mr.  Meyer  and  Captain 
Tyson,  with  the  Esquimaux,  returned.  They  had  crossed 
Newman's  Bay,  and  traveling  over  the  mountains,  had 
reached  the  latitude  of  82°  09'  N.,  as  determined  by  Mr. 
Meyer  with  a  sextant  and  artificial  horizon — then  the 
highest  northern  point  ever  reached  by  land.  They  would 
have  gone  still  farther  had  not  their  fuel  given  out.  While 


DISCOVERIES 
OF  THE  POLARIS 


d. 


Beer.  357 

Meyer  and  Joe  went  to  the  mouth  of  the  bay  to  survey,  1872. 
Captain  Tyson  and  Hans  crossed  it,  hunting  for  musk-cat 
tle,  of  which  they  killed  twelve,  eight  large  ones  and  four 
calves.  On  the  south  shore  of  Newman's  Bay,  Mr.  Meyer 
deposited  a  record  which  had  been  given  him  by  Captain 
Budington  for  that  purpose.  The  weather  was  so  favora 
ble  that  he  was  able  to  sketch  the  west  coast  of  the  strait 
as  far  north  as  Cape  Joseph  Henry. 

The  men  had  been  engaged  for  two  or  three  days  in 
making  beer.  It  was  sour  and  bitter,  but  they  seemed  to 
relish  it,  and  it  was  thought  that  it  would  do  them  good. 
The  barrel  was  placed  in  the  galley,  and  all  were  greatly 
amused  at  the  sign  fastened  over  the  door :  "  North  Pole 
Lager  Beer  Saloon.  No  trust.  Peter  Johnson.  Cash." 

On  the  16th,  the  ashes  which  had  accumulated  dur 
ing  the  winter  were  spread  out  on  the  ice  near  the  ship  to 
absorb  the  sun's  rays  and  hasten  the  melting  of  the  ice,  in 
order  to  free  the  ship  as  soon  as  possible.  The  steward 
was  now  improving  very  rapidly;  he  ceased  to  take 
medicine,  and  ate  much  raw  meat  for  his  scurvy. 

At  10.30  a.  m.,  of  the  17th,  Hans  and  Peter  John 
son  started  for  Newman's  Bay  on  a  hunt,  and  at  1 1.30 
a.  m.,  Joe  and  Robert  Kruger  followed  them.  From  4 
a.  m.  to  11  p.  in.,  Joe  had  been  with  Mr.  Meyer,  at  Cape 
Lupton,  and  out  on  the  ice  of  the  straits.  Mr.  Meyer  was 
engaged  in  finishing  the  survey  of  the  surrounding  coasts. 


358  B°at  at  @aPe  Lupton. 

1872.     Too  much  credit  cannot  be  given  to  him  for  the  zeal  and 

1YM  *  i  % 

ability  with  which  he  prosecuted  the  survey  of  Thank- 
God  Harbor. 

On  the  18th,  three  snow-birds  were  seen.  On  the 
19th,  the  two  hunting-parties  returned,  having  killed  two 
musk-cattle  and  two  ptarmigans.  They  had  seen  large 
numbers  of  these  birds,  and  could  have  obtained  more  if 
they  had  been  supplied  with  shot-guns. 

Mauch  says  in  his  journal :  "  I  have  been  up  to  Cape 
Lupton,  comparing  Hayes'  '  open  polar  sea'  of  the  19th 
May,  1861,  with  the  present  one.  The  straits  present  a 
vast  body  of  impenetrable  pack,  with  not  a  speck  of  open 
water." 

On  the  29th,  the  steward  had  so  far  recovered  that 
he  was  able  to  resume  his  duties.  During  his  illness,  Wal 
ter  Campbell,  one  of  the  firemen,  had  been  of  great  serv 
ice  in  doing  part  of  his  work. 

The  rise  of  the  tide,  together  with  the  melting  of  the 
snow,  produced  from  two  to  three  feet  of  water  on  the 
port  side  of  the  vessel.  It  was  necessary  to  run  plank 
out  from  the  ports  to  get  on  board  dry-shod.  Mr. 
Chester,  having  completed  his  boat,  in  order  to  be  ready 
to  start  as  soon  as  the  ice  opened,  transported  her  to  the 
little  cove  just  north  of  Cape  Lupton. .  For  this  purpose 
the  large  sled  and  a  full  team  of  dogs  were  used ;  the  men 
keeping  company  to  help  over  the  hummocks. 


Flies.  359 

The  21st  was  a  very  warm  day;  the  temperature,     1872. 

May. 

for  the  first  time,  rising  above  the  freezing  point  to  +3  3°. 6 
F.  The  Esquimaux  women  improved  the  sunshine  by 
taking  the  musk-ox  skins  to  the  shore  and  preparing  them 
for  preservation.  Mrs.  Hans,  with  her  children  about  her, 
amused  herself  in  watching  a  fire  built  between  two 
stones  and  the  frying  of  a  steak  on  a  thin  piece  of  slaty 
limestone. 

The  two  natives,  with  Booth  and  Hobby,  started  for 
Newman's  Bay  to  bring  back  the  meat  which  had  been 
left  there  in  a  cache.  In  the  afternoon  a  fly  was  seen. 
It  was  much  larger  than  an  ordinary  house-fly.  On  the 
22d,  a  northeast  gale  failed  to  open  the  straits ;  the  spirits 
of  the  explorers  were  very  much  depressed.  Dr.  Bessels 
succeeded  in  catching  two  flies,  which  made  the  begin 
ning  of  his  collection  of  insects.  A  snow-bird  was  seen 

o 

near  the  observatory. 

On  the  23d,  the  hunters  returned,  bringing  large  loads 
of  meat.  They  had  also  killed  two  ptarmigans  and  had 
seen  one  hawk. 

On  the  24th,  water  was  discovered  in  the  bilge  to  the 
depth  of  three  feet;  it  was  feared  that  the  vessel  was  leak 
ing.  Attempts  were  made  to  pump  it  out,  but  the  pumps 
could  not  be  made  to  work.  The  next  day  the  men  used 
the  small  pump,  the  'handy  billy,'  and  freed  the  ship. 
The  water  returned,  however,  with  an  increase,  but  it 


300  Captain  Tysons  Boat. 

1872.  could  not  be  determined  whether  it  was  caused  by  a  leak 
or  by  the  melting  of  the  ice  in  the  bunkers.  On  the 
27th,  the  carpenter  and  Booth  were  sent  below  to  look 
for  the  leak,  if  one  existed.  On  the  28th,  the  water  had 
gained  five  inches  during  the  night ;  this  indicated  that 
the  ship  was  certainly  leaking. 

To  return  to  the  boat-journeys.  On  the  24th,  Captain 
Tyson's  boat  was  taken  to  Cape  Lupton.  On  the  25th,  the 
provisions  were  sledded  to  the  boats.  Joe,  after  one  of  his 
loads,  instead  of  returning  to  the  ship,  went  out  into  the 
straits  and  killed  a  small  seal.  The  sight  of  three  streaks  of 
clear  water  in  the  straits  had  raised  the  spirits  of  officers  and 
men,  exciting  great  expectations ;  all,  however,  were  cast 
down,  when  on  the  26th,  the  straits  were  again  blocked  up. 
Hannah,  in  one  of  her  travels,  found  a  very  interest 
ing  relic,  near  Cape  Lupton.  It  was  quite  a  large  piece 
of  an  Esquimaux  sled-runner,  with  one  of  the  cross-bars. 
It  was  partially  imbedded  in  the  shingle  and  its  position 
was  from  four  to  five  hundred  yards  from  the  coast",  and 
about  fifty  feet  above  water-level.  It  remained  an  open 
question  whether  it  had  drifted  there  or  whether  it  had 
been  left  there  by  some  Esquimaux  in  his  wanderings. 

Bobert  Kruger  brought  to  the  ship  a  live  lemming, 
which  was  put  into  a  box,  and  carefully  fed.  On  the 
27th,  in  one  of  their  excursions  far  out  in  the  straits  after 
seals,  the  natives  saw  two  gulls  and  several  dovekies. 


Esquimaux  Habits.  361 

Another  live  lemming  was  caught  hy  Robert  Kruger,     187». 

May. 

and  added  to  the  one  in  the  box. 

The  lowest  temperature  during  May  was  — 7°.5, 
the  highest  +  33°,  while  the  mean  was  +17°. 7. 

On  the  28th,  another  boat  of  provisions  was  taken  to 
Cape  Lupton.  "The  cracks  now  in  the  straits  opened 
with  a  rising  tide,  and  closed  with  a  falling  one." 

The  sailors  began  to  complain  that  Mrs.  Hans  did 
not  keep  her  apartment  clean ;  being  just  forward  of  their 
quarters,  it  threatened  to  become  very  disagreeable,  as 
the  warm  weather  advanced.  Captain  Budington  ex 
amined  the  room,  and  was  utterly  astonished  at  its  state. 
He  had  never  seen  such  a  filthy  place  during  his  long  ex 
perience  among  the  Esquimaux.  He  arranged,  for  the 
family,  a  tent  on  deck,  where  they  would  at  least  have 
fresh  air,  and  had  their  room  thoroughly  cleaned. 

Some  German  sausage  had  been  included  among  the 
provisions  for  the  boats;  it  was,  however,  decided  that  it 
was  too  salt  to  be  palatable,  and  it  was  brought  back  to 
the  ship. 

The  two  Esquimaux  started  off  on  the  plain  on  a 
hunting-expedition.  They  were  provisioned  for  several 
days.  At  9  p.  m.,  of  the  30th,  Robert  Kruger  and  Her 
mann  Siemens,  who  had  been  out  all  day,  returned  with 
the  intelligence  that  they  had  killed  a  musk-cow.  This 
roused  the  whole  crew,  seven  of  whom  at  once  started  for 


362  An  Exciting  Hunt. 

1 872..  the  foot  of  Chester's  Mountain.  The  herd  from  which  one 
had  been  killed  consisted  of  four  animals ;  one  bull,  two 
cows,  and  a  calf. 

Hermann  Siemens,  in  his  journal,  says:  "Suddenly 
we  saw  two  of  these  animals,  with  a  calf,  resting  on  the 
snow  at  the  foot  of  the  mount  near  one  of  the  ponds 
about  five  hundred  yards  from  us.  Seeing  us  they  jumped 
up,  when  we  fired  at  them.  While  I  \vas  reloading  my 
companion  suddenly  warned  me  that  a  large  bull  was 
making  at  me  behind  my  back,  and,  looking  around,  I  saw 
it  furiously  running  against  me  with  all  its  speed.  I 
quickly  retreated  until  ready  with  my  breech-loader. 
When  I  halted,  the  beast  joined  the  others,  and  the  three 
formed  a  line,  with  the  calf  behind  them,  ready  for  fight, 
bellowing  terribly.  We  now  fired  again,  but  as  we  did 
so  at  a  considerable  distance,  not  daring  to  close  in  with 
out  dogs,  only  one  female  fell,  and  the  others,  with  the 
calf,  took  flight.  As  I  had  no  more  balls,  and  my  com 
panion  only  a  shot-gun,  we  did  not  follow  them." 

The  party  that  left  the  ship  soon  found  the  dead  cow, 
and  while  two  of  them  stopped  to  skin  it  the  others  went 
in  pursuit  of  the  rest  of  the  herd.  William  Nindemann 
was  the  fortunate  one,  and  succeeded  in  shooting  both 
the  bull  and  the  cow.  The  calf  remained  near  its  fallen 
mother.  At  2.30  a.  m.  of  the  31st,  some  of  the  men 
started  to  return  to  the  ship  with  the  musk- cow,  and 


Musk  Cattle.  363 

three    men,  William    Nindemann,    Gust.    Linquist,    and     1872. 

May. 

Henry  Hobby,  remained  to  skin  the  other  animals.  Not 
withstanding  that  two  of  the  best  teams -were  away,  the 
dogs,  which  had  been  hastily  collected,  pulled  remarkably 
well,  and  brought  the  party  back  in  a  short  time. 

At  9.30  a.  m.,  the  three  men  returned,  bringing  writh 
them  the  calf.  It  was  alive,  but  unfortunately  one  of  its 
legs  had  been  broken  by  a  random  ball,  and  Dr.  Bessels 
killed  it  to  put  it  out  of  misery.  Nindemann  had  only 
wounded  the  two  animals,  which  were  found  and  killed, 
but  not  where  he  left  them  stretched  out.  At  10  a.  m., 
Dr.  Bessels  went  with  two  of  the  men  to  superintend  the 
skinning  of  the  animals,  his  object  being  to  keep  the  skin 
perfect,  so  that  it  could  be  stuffed.  They  returned  at  7.30 
p.  m.,  leaving  one  other  load  to  be  brought  to  the  vessel. 
The  meat  was  placed  in  the  refrigerator  in  Providence 
Berg.  As  the  weather  became  warm  it  was  discovered 
there  was  no  place  about  the  ship  where  meat  could  be 
kept.  A  large,  square  hole  was  then  dug  in  the  berg,  and 
in  this  ice-chamber  it  remained  sweet  and  fresh. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


The  crews  for  the  boat-expedition  were  ready,  and 

June. 

waiting  only  for  a  favorable  opening  in  the  ice.  As  both 
the  small  whale-boats  were  assigned  for  the  northern  jour 
ney,  it  was  necessary  for  the  rest  of  the  crewr  to  have  one 
of  the  other  boats  in  readiness  for  use.  One  of  the  large 
whale-boats  which  had  been  upon  the  house,  was  there 
fore  overhauled  and  painted,  and  on  the  1st  of  June 
hoisted  up  to  the  davits. 

The  men  had  become  rather  impatient,  and  for  a 
change,  Captain  Budington  determined  to  send  them  off 
on  a  hunt;  accordingly,  at  1.50  p.  m.,  Mr.  Chester's  crew 
started  off.  At  5.50,  they  reached  the  place  where 
one  of  the  musk-oxen,  that  had  been  killed  a  few  days 
before,  lay.  It  was  about  fourteen  miles  southeast  of  the 
ship.  William  Xindemann  was  sent  back  with  the  meat, 
and  Hermann  Siemens,  Robert  Kruger,  and  Fred.  Jamka 
remained  and  erected  their  tent. 

On   the    2d,    Joe    and   Hans   returned   from    their 


June. 


368  Discouraging  Prospects. 

1872.  hunt.  They  had  seen  no  musk-oxen,  but  had  caught 
two  seals  in  Newman's  Bay.  On  the  3d,  three  feet  of 
water  was  again  found  in  the  bilge.  The  deck-pumps 
being  frozen  would  not  work,  and  it  was  necessary 
to  get  up  steam.  The  little  boiler  was  sufficient,  and  from 
noon  to  midnight  kept  the  pumps  going  till  the  water  was 
out.  Captain  Budington  sent  Captain  Tyson  toward  the 
north  to  report  on  the  state  of  the  ice  and  the  prospects 
for  the  success  of  the  boat-parties.  Accompanied  by 
Mauch,  he  started  shortly  after  breakfast,  and,  after  a  long 
and  weary  tramp,  reached  the  cape  just  below  Sumner 
Headland.  They  estimated  that  they  were  eighteen  miles 
from  the  vessel  and  fifteen  hundred  feet  above  the  sea- 
level.  After  lunching  and  taking  a  short  nap,  they  re 
turned  to  the  ship,  arriving  about  midnight.  Their  report 
was  very  unfavorable.  The  straits  were  filled  with  ice. 
There  were  a  few  disconnected  leads  as  far  as  Newman's 
Bay,  but  north  of  that  the  pack  was  close. 

Budington  says  in  his  journal:  "The  plain  is  full  of 
fine  streamlets  of  water  that  give  moisture  to  the  ground. 
Saxifragas  are  blooming,  and  are  distributed  all  over  the 
plain.  Insects  are  getting  numerous.  Flies  and  mosqui 
toes  are  met  with.  This  single  warm  day  has  called  many 
into  life." 

The  log-book  at  this  date  says:  "It  was  discovered 
to-day  that  the  vessel  leaked  most  at  high  water,  and  that 


Stopping  the  Leak.  369 

"the  leak  was  somewhere  near  the  forward  end  of  the     1872. 

June. 

vessel,  as  the  water  could  be  heard  in  the  hold  running 
aft,  the  vessel  being  much  down  by  the  stern.  In  the 
afternoon,  after  a  close  inspection  outside  and  around  the 
bow  of  the  vessel,  the  leak  was  found.  It  was  on  the 
starboard  side  of  the  bowr,  near  the  stem,  right  below  the 
6-foot  mark,  the  water  at  low  tide  being  just  below  it. 
The  heavy  pressure,  caused  by  the  vessel's  hanging  over 
so  much  above  the  ice,  had  bent  or  cracked  the  stem  and 
split  open  a  plank,  leaving  a  crack  which  ran  from  the 
stem  to  about  eight  feet  aft.  We  went  immediately  to 
work  to  take  off  the  iron  sheeting  and  repair  damages, 
but  after  an  half-hour's  work  had  to  stop  on  account  of  the 
turning  of  the  tide,  which  rapidly  rose  above  the  leak. 
We  cannot  now  tell  how  badly  the  stem  is  damaged." 

The  work  of  stopping  the  leak  went  on.  The  crack 
was  thoroughly  calked  and  leaded  over,  and  the  iron 
sheeting  restored  to  its  place.  The  vessel  did  not,  how 
ever,  cease  to  leak.  Further  search  disclosed  a  corre 
sponding  crack  on  the  port  side.  It  appeared  that  the 
whole  stem  was  wrenched  and  split.  The  seams  were 
opened  on  each  side,  and  unfortunately,  that  on  the  port 
side  was  under  water  at  low  tide,  and  could  not  be  closed. 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th,  Captain  Tyson's  crew 
started  south  to  take  the  place  of  the  party  in  camp, 
which,  on  being  relieved,  returned  to  the  ship.  They 

24 


370  A  Xatural  Refrigerator. 

1872.     brought  six  ptarmigans,  the  only  game  they  had  secured. 

June. 

The  Esquimaux  who  had  been  hunting  all  day  in  the 
straits  caught  three  seals.  They  saw  twenty-four  sunning 
themselves  on  the  ice,  near  a  crack  of  considerable  length 
and  about  three  feet  in  width.  A  large  ilock  of  eider- 
ducks  was  seen  from  the  vessel.  The  ice  about  the  deck- 
pumps  had  finally  melted  away  and  they  were  in  working 
order.  The  steam-pump  kept  the  bilge  clear.  The  tem 
perature  rose  to  +42°,  and  the  effect  of  the  sun  was  very 
marked.  There  was  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  water.  A 
large  hole  was  cut  in  the  berg,  which  in  a  very  short  time 
was  filled  ;  indeed,  the  whole  side  of  the  berg  had  become 
a  water-course.  A  hose  was  placed  in  this  hole  and  con 
nected  with  a  hand-pump  on  deck ;  from  this  natural  re 
frigerator  one  could  readily  get  a  bucket  or  tumbler  of  the 
coldest  ice-water. 

Early  on  the  5th,  Mr.  Bryan  and  Joe  set,  out  for  the 
southern  fiord.  Mr.  Bryan  wished  to  complete  its  survey 
in  which  some  few  important  bearings  had  been  omitted. 
Maueh  was  again  sent  to  the  north  to  examine  the 
condition  of  the  ice.  His  report  was  most  discouraging. 
Not  even  the  disconnected  leads  seen  by  Captain  Tyson 
were  visible;  the  whole  surface  of  the  straits  north,  west, 
and  south,  was  covered. 

William  Jackson,  the  cook,  had  a  very  severe  fall, 
but  fortunately  did  not  break  any  bones,  although  he  suf- 


Open  Water  in  Kennedy  Channel.  371 

fered  great  pain.     Wood  obtained  from  old  boxes  and  bar-     1872. 

June. 

rels  was  now  used  for  fuel  instead  of  coal,  which  was 
precious ;  it  was  expedient  to  reserve  the  coal  for  steam 
ing. 

Hans  was  off  to  the  south  and  west  hunting,  and 
brought  back  with  him  a  full-sized  ook-gook.  He  created 
great  excitement  by  reporting  that  there  wras  a  large  body 
of  open  water  at  the  entrance  to  Kennedy  Channel.  This 
renewed  the  hope  that  something  might  yet  be  accom 
plished  by  means  of  boats.  The  open  water  into  which  the 
ice  w^ould  be  carried  by  the  current  and  north  winds, — 
leaving  an  opening  above,  through  which  the  boats  might 
reach  a  high  latitude,- — was  expected  to  be  seen  first  at 
the  south. 

In  the  afternoon,  of  the  6th,  Mr.  Bryan  and  Joe 
returned,  having  successfully  accomplished  their  object. 
The  traveling  over  the  ice  was  quite  bad  on  account  of  its 
being  generally  honey-combed.  The  feet  of  the  dogs 
became  very  sore  ;  it  was  necessary  to  protect  them  with 
skin-boots  to  enable  them  to  travel.  In  many  places  there 
was  a  great  deal  of  water  upon  the  ice,  the  pools,  made 
by  the  melting  of  the  snow  and  ice  of  the  neighboring 
hummocks,  being  so  deep  that  it  was  necessary,  when 
crossing  them,  to  stand  upon  the  sled  and  hold  the  instru 
ments  to  keep  them  from  getting  wet.  They  encamped 
on  Offley  Island,  and  found  there  an  old  Esquimaux 


372  FossiJs. 

1872.     settlement.     Remains   of   several  stone  huts  were   also 

June. 

found,  and  the  ground  was  streaked  with  the  bleached 
bones  of  animals  which  had  constituted  the  food  of  the 
natives.  Many  pieces  of  wood  and  bone  which  had  been 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  sleds  and  hunting-implements 
were  picked  up.  A  large  number  of  the  most  interesting 
of  these  relics,  together  with  many  beautiful  specimens  of 
fossils,  were  brought  to  the  ship  by  Mr.  Bryan  and  given 
to  Dr.  Bessels.  Some  of  the  same  kind  of  fossils  had 
been  brought  from  Offley  Island  early  in  the  spring. 
They  were  the  remains  of  good-sized  tropical  trees,  and 
were  not  found  at  any  other  place  in  the  vicinity  of  Po 
laris  Bay.  All  the  fossils  found  near  Thank-God  Harbor 
had  been  taken  from  erratic  bowlders,  the  slaty  limestone 
of  the  mountains  containing  no  fossils  whatever.  Offley 
Island  is,  however,  formed  of  entirely  different  rock,  and 
it  was  in  the  native  stone  that  these  fossils  were  embed 
ded.  Most  of  them  were  collected  among  the  debris  at 
the  foot  of  a  perpendicular  ledge  which  was  slowly  being 
disintegrated. 

The  party  had  seen  numbers  of  seal  and  birds,  sucb 
as  dovekies,  ducks,  and  gulls. 

While  Mr.  Bryan  was  at  work  on  the  island,  Joe 
started  after  some  seals.  Slowly  crawling  on  the  ice, 
nearly  half  a  mile,  imitating  a  seal,  so  as  not  to  frighten 
a  watchful  ook-gook,  he  succeeded  in  getting  quite  close, 


Struggle  with  an  Ook-Gook.  373 

and    fired    at   it.     For   a   while   it    lay   perfectly    still.     1872. 

June. 

Leaving  his  recumbent  position,  he  walked  toward  the 
animal.  It  began,  however,  to  move,  and  Joe  fearful 
lest  it  should  crawl  to  the  crack,  threw  down  his  gun, 
and  running  up,  seized  it  by  one  of  its  hind  flippers 
and  pulled  it  back,  just  as  it  was  about  to  drop  into  the 
crack.  He  was  not  strong,  and  the  beast  was  large  and 
powerful,  so  that  he  could  only  draw  it  back  a  short 
distance,  when  his  strength  gave  out.  The  animal  again 
made  for  the  crack,  but  Joe  returned  to  the  charge  before 
it  could  plunge.  Unfortunately  he  had  left  his  large  knife 
at  the  sled;  having  only  a  pocket-knife,  he  used  it  to 
the  best  advantage,  but  was  unable  to  reach  the  huge 
creature's  vitals.  He  continued  the  stiwo-le  until  he  was 

oo 

completely  exhausted,  and  was  then  forced  to  let  the 
animal  take  the  water.  He  bore  about  him  the  marks  of 
the  struggle,  being  spattered  with  blood  from  head  to  foot. 

The  party  had  gone  some  distance  into  the  fiord,  and 
upon  their  return  stopped  at  the  tent  to  make  a  call  upon 
the  men  encamped  there.  They  found  all  well  and  in 
good  spirits,  but  unsuccessful  in  securing  any  musk-cattle. 
Henry  Hobby  returned  with  them,  bringing  five  ptarmi 
gans,  two  different  species  of  snipe,  and  one  snow-bird. 

During  the  afternoon,  a  beautiful  mirage  of  the 
western  coast  was  observed.  The  appearance  of  the  land 
about  Lady  Franklin  Strait  was  particularly  marked. 


374  Renewed  Hopes. 

1872.  Qn  the  morning  of  the  7th,  Mr.   Chester  went  to 

June. 

Cape  Lupton  to  examine  the  ice,  and  soon  returned  with 
the  report  that  there  was  open  water  near  the  cape,  and 
that  he  should  start  at  once.  All  was  excitement  and 
joy.  The  men  were  nearly  wild  with  the  prospect  of 
doing  something.  Great  expectations  were  raised  that 
they  would  now  be  able  to  atone  for  the  inactivity 
of  the  spring,  and  add  to  the  usefulness  of  the  expedition. 
During  the  whole  winter  the  boat-journeys  had  been 
talked  about,  and  it  had  been  shown  over  and  over 
again  how  comparatively  easy  it  was  to  go  to  the  Pole. 
No  difficulties  were  allowed  to  stand  in  the  way*  and 
the  route  was  as  clearly  marked  out  as  if  it  were  a 
well-known  channel.  Undoubtedly  the  warm  glow  of 
the  cabin-stove  had  much  to  do  with  the  coloring 

o 

thrown  around  this  boat-journey.  So  completely  had  the 
self-deception  been  effected,  that  people  now  looked  with 
confidence  to  the  result.  Hans  was  sent  to  the  south 
to  bring  back  the  remainder  of  Captain  Tyson's  crew, 
and  returned  at  6  p.  m.,  with  the  men,  eager  to  set 
out  for  the  north.  It  may  well  be  doubted  whether 
any  expedition  ever  left  an  Arctic  vessel  with  more  con 
fident  expectations. 

Tidal  observations  at  the  ship  were  now  to  be 
omitted,  there  being  no  one  left  to  take  them.  The 
meteorological  record  was  kept  by  Mr.  Bryan  whose 


Boat  Crushed.  375 

watch  extended  from  midnight  until  noon,  and  by  Mauch      1872. 

June. 

who  observed  during  the  remaining  twelve  hours. 

Mr.  Chester  and  his  crew  set  out,  under  orders  from 
Captain  Budington,  at  8  p.  m.  for  Cape  Lupton,  where 
they  found  less  open  water  than  was  counted  upon. 

On  the  8th,  Captain  Tyson's  crew  went  to  Cape 
Lupton,  Captain  Tyson  and  Dr.  Bessels  remaining  at  the ' 
vessel.  One  of  Tyson's  crew  brought  back  a  report  by 
no  means  favorable.  Mr.  Chester  had  not  been  able  to 
get  off,  and  was  anxiously  waiting  for  an  opening  in  the  ice. 
The  leak  of  the  Polaris  seemed  to  be  increasing,  and  an 
effort  was  made  to  use  the  donkey-engine  and  pump  to 
clear  the  vessel. 

On  the  9th,  at  11  a.  m.,  Mr.  Chester  arrived  at  the 
ship,  bearing  the  unwelcome  and  unexpected  intelligence 
that  his  boat  was  crushed  by  the  ice  and  was  an  utter  loss. 
The  effect  upon  the  ship's  company  was  indescribable. 
The  grief  at  the  disappointment  of  their  expectations  was 
great,  and  every  one  listened  with  anxiety  to  the  details. 

The  following  is  the  mate's  own  statement  from  the 
log:  "On  the  morning  of  the  8th,  quite  a  strip  of  open 
water  leading  up  around  the  cape ;  launched  the  boat  and 
loaded  up;  pulled  up  about  two  miles;  the  pack  closing 
in  again,  landed  on  the  fast  ice;  here  we  stopped  about 
four  hours,  watching  the  movements  of  the  ice  from  the 
hill.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  the  tide  turning,  the  ice 


376  The  Men  Escape. 

1872.     "began  to  open  again  up  around  the  cape  near  the  shore; 

J II I1C. 

dragged  our  boat  and  provisions  over  an  old  floe  about 
one-half  mile  in  extent,  and  pushed  on  again.  We  had 
proceeded  about  one  mile  when  the  small  drifting  ice  com 
pelled  us  to  land.  We  pulled  up  on  a  level  floe  between 
two  grounded  icebergs,  which  we  considered  a  safe  place 
'to  camp.  The  pack  soon  set  in,  and  we  made  arrange 
ments  for  a  short  nap  before  the  tide  turned  again  to  set 
the  ice  off.  A  good  watch  was  set  to  observe  the  move- 

o 

ments  of  the  ice,  &c.,  with  instructions  to  call  up  the 
crew  as  soon  as  the  ice  opened  sufficiently  for  a  passage 
of  our  boat  up  around  the  cape.  At  6  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  9th,  the  ice  began  to  open  again.  The 
mate,  who  was  asleep  on  a  rubber-blanket  about  one  rod 
ahead  of  the  boat,  was  called  by  the  man  on  watch.  At 
that  instant  the  ice  broke  between  him  and  the  boat. 
Three  of  the  men  were  with  the  boat.  The  piece  of  ice 
they  were  on  went  off  so  rapidly  that  we  could  not  get 
to  them.  They  soon  came  in  contact  with  the  moving 
pack,  and  the  boat  was  crushed  to  pieces.  Every 
thing  that  was  in  her  was  lost,  with  the  exception  of 
three  rifles,  the  box-chronometer,  and  a  few  other  small 
articles.  The  ice  soon  became  still,  which  enabled  the  men 
to  get  off  safely.  The  pack  was  moving  up  the  coast  to 
the  northwest.  A  point  of  an  old  floe  came  in  con 
tact  with  the  land-ice  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  south 


Canvas-Boat.  377 

"of  us,  which  broke  the  ice  where  our  boat  was,  there     1872. 

June. 

being  at  the  time  quite  a  space  of  open  water  between 
our  boat  and  the  moving  pack.  Among  the  articles  lost 
with  the  boat  was  the  Casella  theodolite,  which  was  very 
much  regretted." 

A  little  past  noon  the  crew  arrived.  They  were  not 
at  all  discouraged,  feeling  that  it  was  an  unavoidable 
accident.  Mr.  Chester  at  once  asked  and  obtained  per 
mission  to  make  another  attempt  in  the  Heggleman  port 
able  folding  canvas-boat.  His  crew  set  to  work  to  rig  it 
up  in  the  best  of  spirits,  hoping  that  after  all  they  might 
accomplish  something.  Dr.  Bessels  left  the  vessel  imme 
diately  after  dinner  to  join  Captain  Tyson,  who  had  gone 
to  the  cape  in  the  morning.  They  were  to  be  prepared 
to  start  in  the  evening.  Joe,  who  had  been  out  hunting, 
shot  one  seal  and  twro  eider-ducks. 

On  the  10th,  a  little  open  water  wras  seen,  which 
encouraged  the  hope  that  Captain  Tyson  had  been  able  to 
start.  Steam  was  kept  up  constantly.  It  was  necessary 
to  work  the  little  engine  six  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four 
to  keep  the  vessel  free  from  water.  In  the  boiler  ten 
pounds  of  steam  was  needed  when  working;  at  other 
times  only  six  pounds  was  maintained. 

During  the  night  of  the  10th,  the  temperature  fell 
below  the  freezing-point,  and  the  pools  of  water  were 
covered  with  a  thin  film  of  ice.  It  was  noticed  that  now 


378  Chester  Starts  Again. 

1872.     the  winds  from  the  northeast  increased  the  temperature, 

June. 

which  fell  when  winds  from  the  southwest  prevailed. 
This  was  satisfactorily  explained  by  the  reflection  that  the 
northeast  wind  passed  over  the  warm  land,  while  the 
southwest  wind  traversed  the  ice-covered  straits. 

On  the  llth,  Hans  and  one  of  the  men  took  an 
advance  load  to  Cape  Lupton  for  Mr.  Chester.  Upon  his 
return  he  reported  that  Captain  Tyson  and  crew  had 
started. 

At  10  a.  m.  of  the  12th,  Mr.  Chester  and  crew  set 
off  in  good  spirits,  with  the  canvas-boat,  singing  a  song, 
composed  during  the  winter,  beginning:  "  We  are  going 
to  the  Pole." 

The  Esquimaux  shot  three  king-ducks;  one  burgo 
master  and  one  white  gull  were  seen  from  the  ship.  On 
the  14th,  Joe  shot  a  bird  called  boatswain.  He  also 
found,  while  he  was  on  the  plain  to  the  southeast  of  the 
vessel,  the  horns  of  a  reindeer.  A  white  gull  was  seen 
flying  toward  the  north,  arid  was  watched  until  it  passed 
around  Cape  Lupton. 

The  water  pumped  from  the  bilge  was  led  by  a 
hose  into  the  propeller-well,  the  effect  being  to  free  the 
propeller  from  ice.  There  was  no  improvement  in  the 
leak,  and  it  was  necessary  to  keep  steam  up  continually. 
Quite  a  remarkable  change  of  temperature  occurred 
in  one  hour;  remarkable  because  it  was  so  different 


Preparing  Specimens.  379 

from   any  experienced  during  the  winter.     A  northwest 


On  the  16th,  a  little  open  water  was  again  seen,  and 
a  large  white  gull  was  observed  flying  toward  the  north. 
The  ashes,  sprinkled  on  the  iloe,  had  worked  their  way, 
under  the  influence  of  the  sun,  down  through  the  ice  until 
there  stood  over  them  a  pool  of  water  two  and  a  half 
feet  deep  and  about  two  hundred  feet  long  by  thirty 
broad. 

Greatly  to  the  disappointment  of  all,  no  open  water 
could  be  seen  on  the  17th;  a  flock  of  geese  was  seen 
flying  in  a  southerly  direction.  On  the  18th,  a  light 
snow  fell.  Ducks  now  resorted  in  great  numbers  to  the 
pond  a  short  distance  north  of  the  observatory;  Hans 
was  fortunate  enough  to  get  within  shot,  and  succeeded 

C5  O  ' 

in  bagging  one  of  the  beautiful  king-ducks. 

Mauch  took  upon  himself  the  labor  of  preparing 
specimens  during  Dr.  Bessels'  absence.  He  spent  a  great 
deal  of  time  in  skinning  and  stuffing  the  different  birds, 
in  collecting  botanical  specimens,  and  in  bottling  insects. 
In  addition  to  these  labors  and  the  twelve  hours'  meteor 
ological  observations,  he  kept,  as  before,  Captain  Buding- 
toivs  journal,  and  wrote  up  the  daily  log  for  Mr.  Chester. 
He  was  a  very  busy  man;  and  when  it  is  remembered 


June. 

wind  was  blowing  and  the  thermometer  stood  at  +33°.  1. 
A  northeaster  sprung  up  and  the  temperature  w^ent  up  to 


380  Open  Water. 

that  all  these   labors   were   voluntary    and   beyond   his 


June. 

regular  duties,  too  much  credit  cannot  be  given  to  him. 

On  the  19th,  the  vessel  was  leaking  worse  than  be 
fore,  so  that  it  was  necessary  to  keep  the  pump  going 
twelve  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four.  The  wood  was  all 
consumed,  and  old  coal-bags  soaked  in  crude  turpentine 
were  used. 

On  the  morning  of  the  20th,  Hans  and  Joe  returned 
with  an  ook-gook;  they  had  been  gone  from  the  vessel 
about  twenty-  four  hours.  A  raven  was  seen  by  Hannah. 

At  last  a  X.  E.  gale  commenced,  producing  some 
effect;  open  water  was  seen  not  more  than  two  miles 
from  the  vessel.  During  the  night  of  the  19th,  a  severe 
shock  was  felt,  caused  by  a  crack  in  the  ice.  The  next 
day,  the  wind  rose  to  a  velocity  of  40  miles  an  hour;  the 
straits  to  the  west  and  southwest  were  completely  cleared. 
Nothing  but  one  broad  expanse  of  water  could  be  seen, 
dotted  over  here  and  there  with  pieces  of  ice.  It  was 
fully  expected  that  the  vessel  would  clear  herself.  To 
provide  for  such  a  contingency,  all  the  instruments  were 
taken  on  board,  and  everything  about  the  observatory 
that  could  be  used  for  fuel  was  taken  to  the  ship.  Two 
records  were  left  in  the  building  ;  a  general  one,  giving 
an  account  of  the  expedition,  and  a  special  one,  containing 
instructions  for  the  boat^parties. 

The  wind  continued  on  the  22d,  and  it  was  fully  ex- 


Saiving  Out.  381 

pected   that  Providence  Berg  would  get  adrift  and  be 


June. 

driven  into  the  straits.  The  wind,  however,  died  away  at 
noon  ;  the  berg  kept  its  place.  All  the  ice  outside  of  it 
had  gone,  and  the  water  came  to  within  thirty  feet  of  the 
stern  of  the  ship.  The  ice  was  ten  feet  thick,  and  gun 
powder  failed  to  break  it  up.  Several  gulls  were  seen 
during  the  day  and  one  dovekie  was  shot.  A  copper 
cylinder,  containing  a  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  ex 
pedition  up  to  date,  was  carefully  sealed  and  thrown  over 
board.  A  little  to  the  north  of  the  vessel  was  a  large 

o 

berg,  which,  from  its  peculiar  shape,  had  been  known 
among  the  sailors  as  the  "  Ferry-boat."  This  was  floated, 
and  carried  about  half  a  mile  to  the  north,  where  it 
grounded. 

On  the  23d,  the  engineers  and  firemen  were  engaged 
in  altering  large  ice-saws,  to  make  them  more  serviceable 
in  cutting  out  the  ship;  a  derrick  was  raised  for  working 
them.  The  captain  had  now  decided  to  saw  the  vessel 
out,  and  the  crew  being  small,  all  hands  were  set  to  work 
on  the  24th,  laboring,  with  slight  interruption,  from  2  a. 
m.  to  4  p.  m.  The  lower  ends  of  the  poles  of  the  derrick 
were  iron-shod,  and  it  was  so  rigged  as  to  be  easily  moved 
from  place  to  place. 

At  7  a,  m.  of  the  25th,  the  work  of  sawing  was  re 
commenced,  and  a  little  after  noon  it  cleared  the  ice,  which 
was  twelve  solid  feet  in  thickness  to  within  ten  feet  of  the 


382  Ship  Floats. 

1873.     ship;  there,  the  ice  being  fifteen  feet  thick,  the  sawing  was 

June. 

arrested.  As  this  ice  was  separate  from  both  the  berg 
and  the  land-ice,  it  was  thought  practicable  to  move  the 
whole  mass  at  once.  In  order  to  accomplish  this,  a. very 
heavy  purchase  was  rigged  of  four  double  blocks,  the  fall 
of  which  was  taken  to  the  capstan.  It  finally  proved 
successful,  and  at  5  p.  m.,  the  stem  of  the  vessel  was  free. 
Two  dovekies  were  shot  during  this  day. 

On  the  forenoon  of  the  26th,  the  saw  was  again  at 
work.  After  clearing  away  much  ice  from  near  the  ves 
sel  a  new  cut  was  begun,  leading  directly  into  the  pond, 
made  by  the  ashes.  It  was  reached  at  1.30  p.  m.,  when, 
immediately  the  ice  opened,  the  Polaris  slid  from  the 
tongue  of  the  berg  and  was  once  more  afloat.  She  leaked 
so  badly  that  the  steam-pump  was  at  work  all  day  with 
out  cessation. 

The  dogs  and  everything  on  the  ice  worth  preserving, 
were  taken  on  board.  Captain  Budington  determined  to 
start  at  once,  under  sail,  for  the  north.  There  was  much 
open  water  in  sight,  and  it  was  possible  that  Eobeson 
Strait  was  free,  and  that  a  high  latitude  might  be  attained. 
The  boat-parties,  now  absent  more  than  two  weeks,  were 
supposed  to  be  at  least  as  far  as  Cape  Joseph  Henry,  and 
it  was  expedient  to  join  them,  if  possible.  The  first  step 
was  to  get  the  anchors.  The  starboard  anchor  lying  under 
Providence  Berg  was  inaccessible.  The  port  anchor  lay 


Unsuccessful  Voyage.  383 

clear,  but  after  heaving  at  it  for  three  hours  the  crew  were     1872. 

c9 

June. 

unable  to  break  ground.  The  captain  was  very  anxious 
to  improve  the  opportunity,  if  there  should  be  one ;  the 
anchor  was  therefore  buoyed  and  the  chain  unshackled. 
At  8  p.  m.,  the  Polaris  got  under  way.  Beside  the  cap 
tain,  there  was  only  one  able  seaman  on  board,  and  he 
was  the  cook. 

Steering  to  the  north,  and  rounding  Cape  Lupton,  the 
ship  seemed  to  have  before  her  a  clear  sea.  Very  soon, 
however,  ice  was  encountered,  and  on  approaching  Cape 
Sumner  the  pack  was  found  to  be  impenetrable.  Running 
down  its  edge  she  crossed  the  basin  and  arrived  at  Cape 
Lieber,  where,  again,  no  opening  whatever  was  found. 
All  night  she  traversed  the  face  of  the  pack  in  vain. 
Next  day  the  ship  returned  to  Thank- God  Harbor,  arriv 
ing  at  10  a,  m.,  and  tied  up  to  her  old  friend,  Providence 
Berg. 

It  was  observed  that  there  was  not  quite  so  much 
water  running  aft  as  usual ;  upon  investigation  it  appeared 
that  the  limber-holes  were  choked,  and  the  water  was 
backed  up.  The  fore-peak,  the  chain-lockers,  and  the  main 
hold  were  full  of  water.  Many  of  the  provisions  were 
seriously  damaged.  The  carpenter  and  Fireman  Booth 
were  sent  below  to  bore  holes  in  the  bulk-heads. 

On  the  28th,  the  water  at  the  anchorage  was  so  clear 
that  the  tongue  of  the  berg,  upon  which  the  vessel  had 


384  Ice  Again. 

1 872.     huno-  all  winter,  was  plainly  visible.     The  damage  to  the 

June. 

vessel  could  also  be  seen.  The  whole  stem  was  split  off 
and  wrenched  to  port.  The  part  below  the  6-foot  mark 
projected  at  least  half  an  inch  beyond  the  upper  part.  It 
was  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  vessel  leaked  as  she 
did ;  the  only  wonder  was  that  she  kept  afloat. 

During  the  morning,  rifle-shots  were  heard  off  on  the 
eastern  plain,  which  came  from  Kruger  and  Siemens,  two 
of  Mr.  Chester's  boat-crew.  There  was  much  surprise  at 
their  r-eturn,  and  they  were  eagerly  questioned  as  soon  as 
they  came  on  board.  They  reported  that  both  boat- 
crews  were  encamped  on  the  ice  at  the  mouth  of  New 
man's  Bay ;  that  they  had  had  comparatively  little  diffi 
culty  in  getting  there,  but  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
make  further  progress  toward  the  north.  They  bore  a 
note  from  Mr.  Chester  asking  for  bread.  Captain  Bud- 
ington,  after  hearing  their  story,  determined  to  proceed  in 
the  vessel  and  pick  the  boats  up,  not  only  to  secure  their 
necessary  help  in  taking  care  of  the  ship,  but  to  be  ready 
to  move  north  in  the  vessel  should  the  opportunity 
occur. 

At  1.15  p.  in.,  the  Polaris  got  under  way,  but  unfor 
tunately  encountered  as  usual  the  blockade  of  ice  at  Cape 
Sumner.  Signals  were  made  for  the  return  of  the  boats 
without  success.  During  the  night  the  Polaris  traversed 
along  the  edge  of  the  pack,  which  presented  an  unbroken 


Breaking  out  the  Anchor.  385 

mass;  and  in  the  morning  the  captain  sent  Hans  with  a  1872. 
note  to  Chester,  directing  him  to  return  with  the  hoats, 
after  which  the  vessel  was  headed  for  Thank-God  Harbor. 
Another  effort  was  made  to  obtain  the  anchor  with  an 
increased  purchase,  which  resulted  in  getting  some  addi 
tional  chain.  At  low-water  (midnight)  the  cable  was 
hove  taut  and  secured.  This  broke  out  the  anchor  with 
the  rise  of  the  tide,  and  at  daylight  it  was  hove  up  and 
catted;  lines  were  then  run  out  to  the  berg,  and  the 
vessel  was  properly  secured,  At  thirty  rods  west  of  the 
berg,  the  depth  of  the  water  was  seventeen  fathoms-;  its 
temperature  at  the  bottom  was  +  32°.  1;  at  the  surface  it 
was  +  36°.8,  and  the  specific  gravity  was  1.0270.  The 
mean  temperature  of  the  air  during  the  day  was  +  46° ; 
the  highest  was  +  52°. 

The  bay  still  remained  free  from  ice,  except  a  little 
of  the  land-ice  and  a  few  drifting  pieces.  At  the  north  the 
pack  was  slowly  moving  toward  the  south.  At  the  head 
of  Kennedy  Channel  there  was  but  little  ice.  The  highest 
temperature  recorded  in  the  meteorological  journal  during 
June  was  +49°;  the  lowest,  +  28°;  while  the  mean  was 
about +37°.l. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  the  perishable  articles  on  shore 
were  stored,  for  additional  protection,  in  the  observatory, 
which  was  covered  with  a  sail. 

Captain  Hall's  grave  was  made  to  present  a  better 

25 


386  Another  Effort  to  Get  North. 

1872.     appearance  than  was  possible  when  the  ground  was  frozen. 

July. 

It  had  been  surrounded  with  stones;  some  soil  was  trans 
ported  to  it,  and  a  few  plants  set  out.  A  copper  cylinder, 
containing  the  history  of  the  expedition,  was  also  buried 
in  the  grave.  A  head-board  was  set  up,  on  which  was 
painted — 

TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 

C.  F.  HALL, 

Late  Commander  of  the  U.  S.  North  Polar  Expedition, 

Died  Nov.  8th,  1871: 
Aged  50  years. 

At  7  p.  m.,  Dr.  Bessels  and  Hans  arrived  at  the 
vessel,  having  walked  over  from  Newman's  Bay.  They 
had  started  at  3  p.  m.  the  day  before,  and  were  thus 
twenty-seven  hours  on  the  road. 

Captain  Budington  made  another  effort  to  reach 
Newman's  Bay,  in  order  to  take  off  the  boat-parties.  He 
ordered  steam  to  be  gotten  up  at  9  p.  m.,  and  at  midnight 
the  ship  was  under  way.  At  three-quarters  of  an  hour 
after  midnight  she  passed  Cape  Lupton.  The  sun,  which 
was  quite  low,  blinded  the  eyes  and  prevented  seeing 
far  ahead.  The  water  seemed  to  extend  a  long  distance, 
but  at  1.50  a.  m.  of  the  2d,  the  pack  was  again  met 
off  Cape  Sumner.  The  ship  ran  southwest  down  the 
face  of  the  pack,  which  extended  from  Cape  Sumner  to 
Cape  Cracroft,  and  through  its  whole  extent  there  was  no 


i!  UNI 


Troubles  with  Ice.  387 

opening  large  enough  to  admit  a  small  boat.     None  could     1872. 

July. 

be  seen  with  the  glass.  At  10.15  a  m.,  Kruger  and 
Siemens  were  landed  at  the  ravine  above  Cape  Lupton,  to 
carry  a  letter  to  Mr.  Chester,  and  also  some  supplies. 
The  ship  returned  to  Providence  Berg  at  2  p.  m.,  and 
was  secured  by  hawsers.  A  great  change  had  taken 
place  in  the  ice  of  the  harbor.  Providence  Berg  had  at 
first  been  connected  on  its  southeast  extremity  with  the 
land-ice,  but  now  this  had  gone,  and  the  berg  stood  clear. 
Some  of  the  dogs  not  being  found,  it  was  supposed  that 
they  had  gone  adrift  upon  the  ice. 

On  the  3rd,  the  ice  began  to  come  down  the  straits, 
approaching  the  vessel ;  and  she  was  moved  to  the 
southeast  of  the  berg.  At  7  p.  m.,  a  gale  from  the  N.  E., 
assisted  by  a  high  tide,  set  adrift  the  land- ice  ;  the  vessel 
ran  out  into  the  straits,  where  she  was  kept  under  way 
all  night. 

At  3.30  a.  m.,  of  the  4th,  the  ship  was  again  made 
fast  to  Providence  Berg,  and  nearly  all  hands  turned  in. 
They  had  been  kept  up  all  night  working  ship.  Notwith 
standing  this,  they  were  turned  out  at  6  a.  m.,  to  protect 
the  vessel  from  ice  drifting  into  the  harbor,  to  do  which 

o  ' 

it  was  necessary  frequently  to  change  her  place.  At  6  p. 
m.,  a  N.  E.  gale  sprang  up,  bringing  down  with  it  large 
pieces  of  drift-ice,  which  frequently  threatened  to  strike 
the  ship  ;  they  were,  however,  kept  off'  by  poles. 


388  Fourth  of  July. 

1872.  At  9.30  p.  m.,  a  piece  large  enough  to  be  called  a 

July. 

berg  bore  down  with  great  rapidity,  threatening  to  strike 
the  vessel  amidships.  Its  momentum  was  sufficient  to 
crush  in  the  side  of  the  Polaris,  and  its  approach  was 
watched  with  extreme  anxiety.  When  within  twenty  feet 
of  the  ship  it  struck  the  tongue  of  Providence  Berg,  which 
arrested  its  progress,  turned  it  off  in  a  southerly  direction, 
and  saved  the  vessel.  The  tongue  which  on  this  occasion 
had  rendered  such  providential  service  is  the  very  one 
which  had  caused  so  much  injury  to  the  stem  and  fore 
foot  during  the  winter.  It  was  both  bane  and  antidote. 

o 

The  4th  was  to  those  on  board  the  Polaris  a 
day  of  very  hard  work,  for  which  they  had  been  ill 
prepared  by  their  severe  labors  of  the  previous  night. 
They  had  no  enthusiasm  to  expend  in  celebrating  the 
day. 

The  gale  ceased  at  noon  of  the  5th.  The  Polaris 
was  then  moved  in  toward  the  shore,  and  anchored  in  13 
feet  of  water  at  low  tide.  Mr.  Bryan  with  Mauch  shot  one 
Sabine  gull  and  two  boatswains.  At  10  p.  m.,  the  tide 
rising,  the  floes  set  in  toward  the  vessel,  and  it  was  neces 
sary  to  veer  cable.  At  midnight,  a  thick  fog  came  over 
from  the  west.  At  6  a.  m.  of  the  6th,  the  vessel  grounded 
in  11 J  feet  of  water.  Dr.  Bessels  killed  three  fork-tailed 
gulls  and  two  boatswains.  Mauch  shot  a  small  duck  of 
an  unknown  species  and  three  dovekies.  During  the 


Return  of  Tyson.  389 

night  a  light  rain  fell.     The  ice  continued  to  force  the  ves-     1872. 

July. 

sel  farther  upon  the  heach. 

The  following  soundings  were  made  at  3.30  a.  m., 
the  ship  heading  S.  S.  W.  : 

Bow,  13  feet;  midships,  port  side,  11 J  feet;  star 
board  side,  13  feet;  stern,  12  feet.  At  5.30  a.  m.,  she 
heeled  over  so  far  that  the  scuppers  were  under  water. 
An  effort  was  made  to  haul  the  ship  off  at  high  water, 
hut  without  success ;  it  was  necessary  to  wait  for  the 
night  tide.  At  2.30  p.  m.,  Hobby  arrived  on  board 
and  reported  that  Captain  Tyson  and  his  party  would  soon 
follow. 

At  2  a.  m.  of  the  8th,  all  hands  were  called,  the  an 
chor  was  hove  up.  the  ship  warped  off  shore,  and  the 
anchor  dropped  in  five  fathoms  of  water.  The  same  hour 
Captain  Tyson  with  the  remainder  of  his  crew,  and  Fred. 
Aunting,  of  Mr.  Chester's  crew,  reached  the  vessel,  having 
walked  over  from  their  boat-camp  in  twelve  hours.* 

At  3  p.  m.,  a  K  E.  gale  sprang  up,  accompanied  with 
rain  and  snow.  The  floes  were  so  troublesome  that  the 
position  of  the  ship  was  frequently  changed. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  she  was  so  severely 
pressed  by  the  floes  that  it  was  necessary  to  resort  to  the 
saws  to  relieve  her.  These  annoyances  were  frequent 
during  the  day  and  kept  the  men  busy. 

*  For  Tyson's  journal  on  this  boat  journey  see  Appendix. 


390  Scow  Injured. 

1872.  Mr.  Bryan  shot  a  brent-goose  on  the  plain;  it  had 

July. 

been  the  source' of  considerable  sport.  When  first  seen, 
Hannah  wounded  it  in  the  wing  so  seriously  that  it 
could  not  fly.  It  was,  however,  very  shy  and  fleet,  and 
did  not  allow  the  hunters  to  get  within  range.  A  great 
deal  of  powder  and  shot  was  wasted  on  it,  and  every  one 
who  fired  was  satisfied  that  his  shot  took  effect,  which 
led  to  an  amusing  calculation  as  to  the  amount  of  lead  the 

D 

poor  goose  carried  about  with  her. 

On  the  10th,  the  ice  was  carried  away  by  a  N.  E. 
gale.  On  breaking  out  the  main  hold  to  ascertain  the 
amount  of  damage  done,  it  was  found  that  the  water  had 
merely  spoiled  some  sugar  and  molasses. 

At  4  a.  m.,  of  the  llth,  the  ship  was  carried  where 
the  anchor  was  free  from  ice.  There  was  open  water 
around  the  vessel  for  the  space  of  six  miles,  only  here  and 
there  icebergs  and  grounded  floe-pieces ;  at  noon  the  ice 
set  in  again,  and  the  scow  which  had  been  left  unprotected 
at  the  ship's  side  was  stove.  This  scow  was  a  little  flat- 
bottomed  boat  made  at  the  New  York  navy-yard  for  Dr. 
Bessels.  It  had  proved  to  be  of  great  service  in  passing 
from  the  ship  to  shore,  and  in  going  out  on  short  hunting- 
excursions. 

On  the  12th,  new  ice  formed  about  the  ship,  although 
the  temperature  of  the  air  was  +38°.  This  was  owing 
to  the  large  quantity  of  ice  in  the  neighborhood,  and  the 


Lost  in  a  Snow  Storm.  391 

stillness  of  the  water.     The  cook  killed  three  dovekies,     1872. 

July. 

and  Dr.  Bessels  bagged  a  golden  plover. 

On  the  13th,  the  fore-peak  was  broken  out;  two 
barrels  of  sugar  and  one  of  flour  w^ere  found  partially 
damaged ;  the  spare  sails  stowed  there  were  taken  out  and 
dried.  Breezes  from  the  southwest  blew  all  day,  but  the 
larger  floes  were  kept  off  by  bergs  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  ship.  On  the  14th,  a  very  heavy  snow-storm  began 
at  3  a.  m.,  and  lasted  for  five  hours;  in  the  evening  it 
rained.  During  the  day  new  ice  formed  between  the  ship 
and  the  shore. 

On  the  15th,  ten  dovekies  were  killed;  the  result  of 
the  next  day's  sport  was  nine  dovekies,  one  lumne,  one 
king-duck,  and  a  duckling. 

At  6  p.  m.,  of  the  1 6th,  a  light  rain  began  to  fall. 
One-half  hour  after  midnight  Krnger  arid  Jamka,  two  of 
Mr.  Chester's  crew,  arrived  at  the  ship,  having  been  about 
thirteen  hours  walking  overland.  On  the  17th,  Mr. 

O  ' 

Meyer  returned  from  Newman's  Bay.  He  was  twenty- 
eight  and  one-half  hours  on  his  journey,  having  lost  his 
way  in  a  snow-storm,  and  being  compelled  to  seek  shelter 
under  a  rock  until  the  weather  cleared  up  At  midnight 
the  rain  changed  to  snow. 

A  great  deal  of  snow  fell;  the  mountains  were 
covered,  and  there  were  large  patches  on  the  plain.  The 
whole  region  looked  as  it  did  in  the  previous  September. 


392  Dangers  from  Ice. 

1872.     In  the  evening,  Mr.  Bryan  and  Mauch  went  out  in  the 

July. 

scow  and  shot  five  dovekies,  one  Sabine  gull,  and  one  fork- 
tailed  gull.  Sabine  gulls  were  not  very  often  seen;  this 
one,  and  that  killed  on  the  5th,  were  all  that  were  secured. 
Dr.  Bessels  had  kept  the  first,  but  it  being  injured  by  shot, 
he  threw  it  away  when  the  second  was  obtained,  which 
made  a  fine  specimen. 

On  the  18th,  the  pressure  of  the  ice  was  so  great  that 
Providence  Berg  was  partly  turned  over  and  stood  on  end. 
The  ice  was  piled  up  in  all  manner  of  shapes  on  its  outer 
side,  forming  hummocks  twenty  feet  high.  The  wind 
shifting  on  the  19th,  and  clearing  out  the  ice,  the  berg 
resumed  its  original  position.  William  Nindemann  arid 
Fred.  Aunting  were  sent  to  Cape  Lupton  in  the  scow 
to  learn  the  condition  of  the  ice  in  Robeson  Straits; 
they  returned  at  7  p.  m.  and  reported  that'  the  ice  was 
close  in  to  the  third  cape,  and  the  whole  strait,  as  far 
as  visible,  was  completely  blocked. 

The  only  quiet  time  now  enjoyed  by  the  crew  was 
during  the  prevalence  of  northeast  winds.  At  other 
times  they  were  constantly  employed  in  keeping  the  ship 
clear  of  the  floating  ice.  This  work,  however,  had  been 
going  on  so  long  that  the  men  had  become  used  to  it. 

On  the  20th,  the  ice  pressed  very  heavily  against  the 
Polaris,  especially  on  her  starboard  quarter.  At  1  p.  m., 
an  old  floe,  more  than  twenty  feet  thick,  came  floating 


Preparing  to  Leave  the  Ship.  393 


slowly  toward  her,  much  douht  was  felt  as  to  her  safety ; 
fortunately,  however,  when  within  a  short  distance  it 
grounded.  On  striking,  it  broke  into  many  pieces,  which, 
turning  over,  exposed  massive  rocks  embedded  in  the  ice. 
These  pieces  drifted  further  in,  and  the  vessel,  retreating 
before  them,  took  the  ground  in  twelve  feet  of  water. 
Happily  she  was  prevented  from  heeling  over  at  low  tide 
by  several  hummocks  which  had  grounded  near.  Great 
pressure  showed  itself  all  about  the  harbor;  Providence 
Berg  was  again  pressed  in  toward  the  shore;  one  large 
floe-piece  was  turned  on  edge  near  the  ^hip  and  towered 
twenty-five  feet  above  the  surface. 

Captain  Budington  says:  "During  the  entire  after 
noon,  while  the  tide  was  falling  and  not  much  danger  ex 
isted,  we  were  clearing  the  hold  and  hoisting  the  provis 
ions  on  deck  so  as  to  be  prepared  in  case  any  accident 
should  happen  which  would  compel  us  to  leave  the  ship. 
The  hold  we  found  partially  filled  at  the  time  of  low 
water — no  water  coming  to  the  pumps.  The  rest  of  the 
day  we  did  not  experience  any  further  troubles — the  tide 
falling.  The  next  high  tide  we  have  to  expect  at  about 
1  a.  m.  to-morrow  morning.  Night-tide,  according  to  our 
observations  last  winter,  being  higher,  we  have  to  expect 
the  worst.  As  we  cannot  move  now,  we  must  patiently 
wait  what  the  ice  will  do  with  us.  A  northeaster  would 
indeed  be  a  blessing." 


1872. 

July. 


394  Pumping. 

1872.  At  1.30  a.  m.,  of  the  21st,  a  loud  report  was  heard  like 

July. 

that  of  a  cannon.  The  people  rushing  on  deck  were  told 
by  the  watch  that  Providence  Berg  had  split  asunder. 

During  low  water,  the  men  were  allowed  to  go  hunt 
ing  on  the  plain.  They  brought  in  seven  brent-geese, 
three  goslings,  six  dovekies,  the  nest  of  a  gull  with  five 
young  ones,  and  two  lemmings. 

At  low  water,  on  22d,  the  ship  heeled  over  so  much 
that  it  was  necessary  to  lash  the  boxes  and  barrels.  One 
duck  and  one  gosling  represented  the  sport  of  this  day. 
In  the  evening,  light  rain  fell  for  a  short  time.  Efforts 
were  made  to  move  the  vessel  at  high  water,  but  without 
success;  at  1  a.  m.,  of  the .23d,  all  hands  were  called,  when 
she  was  hauled  into  thirteen  feet  of  water.  While  this 
work  was  carried  on,  Mr.  Chester  and  Hermann  Siemens 
arrived  from  Newman's  Bay.*  They  had  waited  to  get  the 
canvas  boat  into  a  secure  place  on  land.  At  the  next 
low  tide  the  ship  again  grounded,  but  was  afterward 
hauled  into  fifteen  feet  of  water. 

On  the  24th,  Mr.  Chester,  who  had  been  sick  imme 
diately  upon  his  return  from  the  boat-journey,  began  to 
show  signs  of  scurvy. 

On  the  25th,  two  copper  cylinders,  containing  an 
account  of  the  progress  of  the  expedition  and  its  plans, 
were  thrown  overboard.  Mr.  Chester  was  considerably 


*  For  Chester's  journal  on  this  boat  journey  see  Appendix. 


I- 1  B  R  A  ii  V 

I    M  VKRSITV   OK 

CALIFORNIA. 

V ..      - 


HaWs  Grave.  395 

better,   although  his  gums  were  still  sore  and  his   legs     1872. 

July. 

somewhat  swollen.  The  whole  crew,  with  the  exception 
of  the  two  engineers,  the  steward,  and  the  cook,  were 
divided  into  three  watches,  for  the  purpose  of  working 
the  large  deck-pumps  to  clear  the  vessel  without  steam. 
The  ship  was  cleared  by  working  the  large  pumps  eight 
or  ten  minutes  an  hour. 

On  the  26th,  a  light  wind  from  the  southwest  helped 
.  to  bring  in  the  ice,  and  the  harbor  was  again  filled. 

On  the  27th,  Mr.  Chester  added  to  the  other  inscrip 
tions  on  Captain  Hall's  grave  the  following,  cut  in  very 
deep  letters,  on  a  piece  of  pine  wood  one  inch  and  a  half 
thick : 

In  memory  of 
CHAELES  FRANCIS  HALL, 

late  commander 
U.  S.  Steamer  Polaris,  North  Pole  Expedition. 

Died 
Nov.  8th,  1871.— Aged  50  years. 

"I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life;  he  that  believeth  on  me,  though  he 
were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live." 

The  kindness  and  respect  manifested  by  the  Brit 
ish  Arctic  Expedition, — at  this  moment  authoritatively 
known,' — is  very  gratefully  acknowledged. 


396  Vegetation. 

1872.  The  board  was  then  painted  and  screwed  to  the  head- 

board  on  the  side  opposite  Schumann's  inscription. 

During  the  day  two  dovekies  were  shot.  On  the 
plain  the  men  met,  on  the  28th,  a  flock  of  forty  geese, 
but  were  unable  to  secure  them.  Two  lemmings  were 
caught,  for  which  the  sailors  rigged  a  cage  on  top  of  the 
galley.  This  cage  had  glass  sides  and  many  little  retreats ; 
and  much  interest  was  shown  in  watching  the  little  crea 
tures  and  in  feeding  them. 

Early  on  the  29th,  all  were  startled  by  a  heavy  shock 
from  a  floe  striking  the  vessel  amidships.  Joe  shot  a  seal 
and  a  dovekie. 

Mauch,  in  his  journal,  says:  "I  have  been  out  on 
shore  this  forenoon,  probably  for  the  last  time  this  season. 
Taking  a  walk  along  the  beach  down  south,  I  thought  that 
I  should  fall  in  with  geese,  but  none  made  themselves  vis 
ible.  The  plants  are  dying  off  already;  and  the  willows, 
which,  with  their  leaves  of  a  beautiful  green,  gave  the 
plain  the  aspect  of  a  meadow,  are  now  turned  yellow. 
There  are  very  few  flowers,  though  many  seeds.  Nearly 
all  the  seed-bearing  plants  are  fully  ripe." 

Beginning  at  7  a.  m.  on  the  30th,  a  light  rain  fell  most 
of  the  day. 

Captain  Budington  says,  in  his  journal  of  the  31st: 
"I  have  been  on  the  summit  of  the  high  bluft'just  north 
of  the  observatory,  where  I  had  a  view  over  the  ice  of 


Temperature.       * 

"the  straits.  Towards  the  north,  where  Robeson  Strait 
leads  into  our  hasin  (which  I  would  like  to  see  called 
Hall's  Basin),  there  is  a  hody  of  open  water,  and  a  long 
streak  appears  to  extend  from  there  along  the  opposite 
coast,  where  I  was  ahle  to  trace  it  as  far  as  Cape  Lieber. 
Abreast  of  our  bay,  about  one-half  a  mile  off,  west  of 
Providence  Berg,  there  is  a  very  extensive  floe,  taking  up 
the  greatest  part  of  this  basin.  I  was  unable  to  make  out 
any  motion  in  the  floe  in  either  direction." 

The  highest  temperature  observed  during  the  month 
of  July  was  +53°.3  F.;  the  lowest  was  +34°  F.;  the 
mean  was  +42°.3  F. 


397 


July. 


XV11. 


CHAPTER 


On  the  1st  of  August,  Hans  was  sent  to  the  top  of 

August. 

Observatory  Bluff  to  report  on  the  condition  of  the  ice. 
It  proved  to  be  very  compact,  with  the  exception  of  a 
little  water  .near  the  western  coast.  He  felt  a  strong 
southwest  gale  on  the  bluff,  while  it  was  calm  at  the  ship. 
Hans  took  daily  trips  to  the  mountain,  where,  to  insure 
accuracy,  he  made  a  pencil-sketch  showing  the  patches  of 
open  water.  In  this  way,  the  captain  was  able  to  deter 
mine  the  daily  movements  of  the  ice  and  to  judge  of  the 
probabilities  of  an  early  opening. 

A  careful  estimate  of  the  quantity  of  coal  on  hand 
was  now  made  by  the  engineers,  who  reported  that 
there  was  only  enough  for  six  days'  steaming — a  supply 
sufficient  to  carry  the  vessel,  under  favorable  circum 
stances,  to  Disco.  Captain  Budington  then  determined  to 
start  toward  the  south  as  soon  as  an  opportunity  presented 
itself. 

On  the  2d,  Mr.  Odell  reported  that  he  had  traveled 

26 


402  OdelVs  Monument. 

1872.  over  the  hills  to  the  shore  of  Robeson  Channel,  and  found 
it  completely  blocked  with  very  heavy  ice.  He  had  for 
several  weeks  been  in  the  habit  of  making  daily  pilgrim 
ages  to  the  summit  of  Observatory  Bluff,  where  he  amused 
himself  in  erecting  a  high  pillar  of  stone.  It  was  nearly 
six  feet  square  at  the  base  and  from  eight  to  ten  feet  in 
height,  and  was  compactly  built.  Upon  one  of  the  largest 
stones  in  its  side,  he  cut  his  initials,  the  name  of  the  vessel, 
and  the  date.  As  a  large  flock  of  brent-geese  was  flying- 
past  the  vessel  at  a  distance  of  not  more  than  fifty  yards, 
Hobby  killed  one  with  a  ball  from  a  Sharp's  rifle. 

On  the  3d,  from  2  to  4  a.  m.,  rain  fell.  At  2  a.  m. 
of  the  4th,  a  very  high  tide  brought  off  the  large  floe  to 
which  the  Polaris  was  attached,  and,  as  it  floated  off,  the 
hawser  which  connected  it  with  the  vessel  parted;  the  ice 
in  general  was  loosened,  and  some  sunken  pieces  rose  up, 
striking  the  ship  with  considerable  force.  The  hummocky 
pieces  forced  her  astern,  and  her  motion  in  that  direction 
was  accelerated  by  attempts  to  haul  in  the  cable.  The 
consequence  was  that  the  ship  grounded,  and,  at  low 
water,  there  was  at  the  stern  a  depth  of  four  feet  less  than 
she  drew.  At  the  next  high  tide,  however,  she  again 
easily  floated.  During  the  day,  a  great  many  dovcldes 
were  shot,  and  about  two  dozen  snipes.  The  sun  at  mid 
night  now  disappeared  behind  the  bluff. 

At  1.30  a,  m.  on  the  5th,  all  hands  were  startled  by 


Shoemaker.  403 

a  very  severe  blow  which  the  vessel  received  on  her  star-     1873. 

August. 

board  quarter  from  a  floe  turning  over.  Young  ice  now 
began  to  form  about  the  ship  whenever  it  was  calm. 
Hans  went  out  in  his  kyak  toward  the  south,  and  shot 
three  brent-geese  and  several  plovers.  About  six  miles 
down  the  beach,  he  found  one  of  the  best  hunting-dogs  (a 
very  excellent  musk-ox  hunter),  wounded,  probably  by  a 
musk-ox.  His  name  was  "Shoemaker".  He  had  been 
missed  eight  days.  One  of  the  seamen  immediately 
started  down  the  coast  to  carry  some  food  to  the  suflferer, 
and,  on  the  6th,  Hermann  Siemens  and  Peter  Johnson  went 
down  to  bring  "Shoemaker"  to  the  ship.  They  carried 
him  in  a  blanket,  which  was  slung  on  a  pole  borne  on 
their  shoulders.  The  poor  dog  was  very  much  cut  up; 
there  was  a  hole  in  his  side  between  two  of  his  ribs,  and 
one  through  the  fleshy  part  of  his  leg.  These  holes  were 
about  the  size  of  a  musk-ox  horn ;  his  belly  was  gored 
and  cut,  and  nearly  all  the  skin  taken  off.  The  two 
Esquimaux  were  out  all  day  in  their  kyaks.  They  found 
many  geese.  Hans  shot  thirteen  and  Joe  twelve,  of 
which  several  were  goslings.  One  of  the  crew  shot  a 
boatswain  and  several  plovers. 

Kruger  and  Hobby  obtained  permission  to  go  to  New 
man's  Bay  after  the  clothes  which  they  had  been  com 
pelled  to  leave  there.  Captain  Budington  says  in  his 
journal:  "Each  of  them  belonging  to  a  different  watch,  I 


404  Thoughts  on  Return. 

1872.     "granted  their  request,  as  one  man  always  can  be  spared 

Au  crust* 

and  seven  can  work  the  pumps.  They  left  in  the  afternoon. 
However,  I  found  myself  forced  to  give  them  especial 
orders  to  return  immediately  in  case  they  should  encounter 
a  northeast  breeze,  for  I  intend  to  take  the  first  oppor 
tunity  I  get  to  leave  this  harbor.  A  delay  at  this  ad 
vanced  season  will  most  probably  prove  fatal.  As  we 
will  be  unable  to  keep  the  vessel  afloat  in  her  present 
condition  during  another  winter,  we  will  be  compelled  to 
run  her  on  the  beach.  I  have  always  been  living  in  hopes 
that  we  should  get  farther  north  with  the  vessel;  but  this 
season  is  so  unfavorable,  the  ice  being  so  compact  and 
close,  that  we  may  almost  consider  our  return  this  year  an 
impossibility.  Since  the  return  of  the  boat-parties,  we 
have  not  had  an  opportunity  to  start  north ;  and,  even  if  we 
had  such  an  opportunity  now,  it  would  not  be  at  all  advis 
able,  without  enough  coal,  to  risk  it  with  a  vessel  like  ours 
at  this  advanced  state  of  the  season." 

On  the  8th,  all  hands  rejoiced  to  hear  from  the  hill 
top  that  there  was  open  water  not  more  than  eight  miles 

• 

from  the  vessel.  The  Esquimaux  shot  four  seals,  but  were 
able  to  secure  but  one.  At  3  a.  m.  of  the  9th,  the  two 
seamen  returned  from  Newman's  Bay,  and  reported  that 
there  were  a  few  leads  in  the  ice  toward  the  north,  but 
that  south  and  west,  it  was  very  close.  At  11  a.m., 
Meyer,  Siemens,  and  Linquist  started  for  Newman's  Bay; 


Photographic    Views.  405 

the  first,  to  recover  some  instruments;  the  last  two,  to  get 


A  u  crust. 

their  clothes.  They  reached  the  boats  at  7  p.  m.,  the 
traveling  being  very  good,  as  the  land  was  free  from  snow, 
and  the  streams  in  the  ravines  were  either  very  low  or 
completely  dried  up. 

Captain  Tyson  saw  open  water  from  the  crow's  nest, 
four  or  five  miles  distant.  Hans  shot  two  seals,  although 
he  only  brought  one  to  the  ship.  At  this  season  of  the  year, 
the  seals  are  not  very  fat,  and  when  killed  sink  quickly,  so 
that  the  hunter  must  be  active  to  secure  them.  On  the 
10th,  a  light  wind  from  the  N.  W.  sprang  up,  but  did  not 
last  long;  the  hope  that  the  ice  would  be  driven  to  the 
southward  was  not  realized. 

Dr.  Bessels,  assisted  by  Hayes,  was  engaged  in  making 
preparations  for  taking  photographic  views;  they  were  not, 
however,  successful.  A  number  of  snipes  and  turnstones 
were  shot.  At  10  p.  m.,  Mr.  Meyer  and  party  returned 
from  Newman's  Bay.  He  brought  for  the  doctor  his  valua 
ble  microscope,  which  had  been  left  there  with  the  boat. 

Siemens  in  his  journal  says  :  "  Off  Newman's  Bay,  the 
strait  was  beset  all  over  ;  not  a  single  strip  of  open  water 
being  visible." 

Thin  ice  now  began  to  form  every  night  between  the 
ship  and  the  shore,  and  it  became  difficult  to  force  the 
scow  through  it.  It  is  noticed  in  one  of  the  journals  that 
the  ice  thus  formed  was  quite  fresh. 


406  Charles  Polaris  Hendrick. 

1872.  On  the  llth,  the  ice  of  the  straits  was  observed  to  he 

August. 

in  motion,  drifting  to  the  south. 

A  large  space  near  the  observatory  was  covered 
by  a  luxurious  growth  of  wheat  about  eight  inches  in  height. 
Among  the  stores  that  had  been  placed  on  shore  was  a 
barrel  of  wheat.  In  moving  this,  its  head  was  broken  in, 
and  a  quantity  was  scattered  on  the  ground,  which  had 
grown  up,  presenting  the  appearance  of  a  verdant  oasis. 
The  dogs  were  very  fond  of  nibbling  the  tender  stalks. 

At  6  a.  m.  of  the  12th,  Mrs.  Hans  Hendrick  was 
safely  delivered  of  a  boy.  All  were  much  surprised  and 
pleased  at  the  advent  of  the  little  stranger,  who  was  unani 
mously  named  by  the  crew  Charles  Polaris  Hendrick. 

Hans,  from  his  trip  to  the  hill,  brought  back  such  a 
favorable  report  that  Captain  Budington  went  to  examine 
the  ice.  He  decided  that  it  would  be  safe  to  try  to  force 
the  vessel  through,  but  sent  Captain  Tyson  up  to  the  hill, 
who  returned  at  noon  confirming  his  own  judgment.  Ac 
cordingly,  every  preparation  was  at  once  made.  The  dogs, 
twenty-one  in  number,  were  taken  on  board.  An  effort 
to  get  the  anchor  proved  unsuccessful,  in  consequence  of 
the  ice  resting  on  it ;  Providence  Berg  had  not  yet  released 
the  other  anchor,  so  that  both  had  to  be  abandoned. 

A  list  of  the  stores  left  on  shore  will  be  found  in 
Appendix  No.  2.  These  were  intended  as  a  provision  for 
a  future  emergency. 


u 


LIBRA  K  V 

UNIVERSITY   OF 

CALIFORNIA. 


Leave  Thank-God  Harbor.  407 

At  4.30  p.  m.,  the  engines  were  started,  and  the  1872. 
Polaris  left  Thank-God  Harbor.  Just  as  the  vessel 
got  in  motion,  one  of  the  best  dogs,  .a  Newfoundland, 
named  Tiger,  leaped  over  the  stern  bulwarks  upon  the 
ice.  His  loss  was  greatly  regretted ;  he  was  a  general 
favorite. 

The  ice  was  quite  compact;  but,  with  great  care,  the 
vessel  was  piloted  between  the  heavy  floes,  changing  her 
course  frequently,  but  always  gaining  ground ;  she  labored 
heavily  all  night.  At  5  a.  m.  of  the  13th,  the  open  water 
which  had  been  seen  from  Observatory  Bluff  was  reached, 
and  the  vessel  seemed  to  rush  with  extraordinary  speed, 
until  it  was  necessary  to  shorten  sail,  on  account  of  the 
thick  fog,  which  lasted  an  hour.  The  coasts  on  either  side 
were  carefully  examined,  arid  it  was  discovered  that  there 
were  several  glaciers  on  Grinnell  Land,  although  none  of 
them  had  discharges  into  Kennedy  Channel.  At  9  a,  m., 
a  very  close  and  impenetrable  pack  was  encountered. 
The  vessel  was  tied  to  a  large  floe,  and  drifted  slowly 
down  the  channel  with  the  pack ;  about  noon,  she  was 
quite  near  Hans  Island  and  west  of  it.  The  latitude  by 
observation  was  80°  48'  N ;  longitude,  68°  38'  W.  The 
ship  continued  to  drift,  and  at  7  p.  m.,  was  midway  between 
Hans  and  Franklin  Islands,  which  are  ten  miles  distant 
from  each  other.  Soundings  were  taken  at  a  depth  of  203 
fathoms,  with  a  bottom  of  black  limestone.  The  temper- 


408  Cape  Constitution. 

1873.     ature  at  that  depth  was  32.8,  and  the  specific  gravity 

August. 

1.0281. 

At  1 1  p.  in.,  the  ice  opened  somewhat,  and  one  hour's 
hard  labor  secured  an  advance  of  one  mile.  During  the 
morning  of  the  14th,  several  unsuccessful  attempts  at  farther 
progress  were  made,  and,  at  noon,  the  opening  of  a  lane 
enabled  the  ship  to  get  close  to  Franklin  Island  in  forty- 
five  minutes.  On  passing  it,  the  grand  spectacle  of  a  huge 
land-slide  was  witnessed,  in  which  immense  clouds  of  dust 
were  raised,  accompanied  by  a  loud  noise. 

At  2.45  p.  m.,  Cape  Constitution  was  passed,  which 
Morton  and  Hans  both  recognized  as  the  highest  point 
reached  by  them  on  their  memorable  sledge-journey  when 
with  Kane,  in  the  spring  of  1854.  During  the  day,  Hans 
shot  a  small  seal.  At  11  a.  m.,  a  very  close  pack  was  en 
countered,  and  it  was  necessary  to  secure  the  vessel  to  one 
of  the  floes.  By  a  subpolar  altitude  of  the  sun,  the  lati 
tude  of  80°  02'  N.  was  obtained.  Several  unsuccessful  efforts 
were  made  to  force  a  way  through  the  ice ;  at  10  a.  m. 
on  the  15th,  it  opened  somewhat,  and  the  vessel  was  again 
started ;  after  a  few  hours,  however,  the  ice  once  more 
closed,  and  the  engines  were  stopped,  having  propelled 
the  ship  about  six  miles  toward  the  west. 

At  6  a.  m.  of  the  16th,  Mr.  Meyer  obtained,  by  the 
change  in  the  sun's  altitude  on  the  prime-vertical,  80°0r  N. 
for  the  latitude.  The  Polaris  remained  all  day  fast  to  the 


Warping.  409 

floe.     There  was  now  only  coal  enough  for  four  days' 


August. 

steaming  ;  the  prospect  of  reaching  Disco  during  the  fall 
began  to  look  dismal.  The  latitude  obtained  at  noon  was 
79°  59'  'N. 

On  the  17th,  the  ship  received  a  slight  nip,  which 
made  her  heel  considerably.  Every  preparation  was  made 
to  have  things  ready  to  be  thrown,  if  necessary,  upon  the 
ice.  Water  was  seen  at  an  estimated  distance  of  eight 
miles  to  the  south,  but  it  was  impossible  to  reach  it.  At 
10  p.  m.,  the  vessel  received  another  severe  nip,  which  con 
tinued  for  an  hour,  and  was  attended  with  considerable  heel. 
The  latitude  at  noon  of  the  1  8th  was  79°  44'  30"  N.  Henry 
and  Bache  Islands  could  be  seen  from  the  crow's  nest. 

On  the  19th,  soundings  were  made,  and  the  depth 
found  to  vary  from  ninety  to  ninety-five  fathoms.  The 
ship  was  now  being  pumped  by  steam,  and,  the  leak  hav 
ing  very  considerably  increased,  the  pump  was  kept  going 
twelve  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four.  At  10  a.  m.,  a  large 
iioe  to  the  north  began  to  move,  and  would  have  struck 

c5  * 

the  vessel  had  she  not  been  at  once  warped  a  short  dis 
tance  ahead  and  secured  in  a  bight.  The  removal  had 
scarcely  been  effected  when  a  collision  of  the  two  floes 
occurred  with  great  force,  exactly  where  the  ship  had 
been  moored. 

During  the  20th,  light  rain  fell  at  intervals,  making 
everything  disagreeable.  Notwithstanding  this,  the  crew 


410  A  Severe  Nip. 

1872.  was  employed  in  constantly  moving  the  ship  to  save  her 
from  being  caught  between  floes.  It  was  aggravating  to 
see  clear  water  at  a  distance,  to  which  there  was  no  access. 
During  the  prevalence  of  a  S.  W.  wind,  it  was  thought 
that  the  vessel  was  drifting  to  the  north;  but  at  4  p.  m., 
the  wind  shifting  to  the  north,  the  southerly  drift  was  un 
mistakable.  Latitude  at  noon,  79°  42'  N. 

On  the  21st,  the  fires  were  drawn  to  give  the  engineers 
an  opportunity  to  repair  the  little  boiler ;  in  the  mean 
time,  the  deck-pumps  were  started  to  keep  the  ship  clear. 
It  was  then  manifest  that  the  ship  wras  leaking  much  more 
than  she  did  when  in  Thank-God  Harbor.  The  latitude 
at  noon  was  79°  39' N.  At  10  p.  m.,  the  vessel  suffered  a 
very  severe  nip,  which  listed  her  over  to  port  so  much  as 
to  be  decidedly  uncomfortable.  A  southwest  gale  prevailed 
on  the  22d,  and  a  light  rain  fell  for  several  hours.  The 
dogs,  for  the  first  time  since  leaving  Thank-God  Harbor, 
were  allowed  to  go  on  the  ice. 

The  latitude,  at  noon  of  the  23d,  was  79°  37'  N.  Mag 
netic  bearings  were  taken  daily  for  the  correction  of  the 
coast-lines,  and  some  grave  errors  in  that  of  Grinnell 
Land  were  noticed.  The  temperature  during  the  night 
now  began  to  be  as  low  as  28°;  its  effect  was  very  plain. 

At  6  a.  m.  of  the  24th,  a  breeze  from  the  north  sprang 
up,  and  assisted  the  current  very  materially  hi  carrying  the 
vessel  toward  the  south. 


Heavy  Floes.  411 

At  9  a.  m.,  the  ice  opened  somewhat,  and,  steam     1872. 

A  11  trust 

having  been  raised  in  the  little  boiler,  it  was  hoped  that 
some  progress  might  be  made ;  but  the  lead  closed  before 
the  vessel  started.  The  land  explored  by  Kane  south  of 
the  great  Humboldt  Glacier  was  now  plainly  visible  in 
clear  weather.  A  great  line  of  bergs  stretched  out  from 
Humboldt  Glacier  similar  to  that  seen  when  the  Polaris  was 
passing  up  through  Smith's  Sound.  The  vessel  was  nipped 
several  times  during  the  day,  but  not  severely ;  she  gave 
proof  of  her  strength  and  of  her  fitness  for  ice-navigation. 

The  temperature  during  the  night  fell  to  2  6°.  6,  new 
ice  being  rapidly  formed,  half  an  inch  in  thickness. 

Mauch  says  in  his  journal  of  the  25th :  "  The  ice  is 
opening  a  few  hundred  yards  from  us,  but  so  little  that  we 
cannot  take  advantage  of  it.  The  surrounding  ice  consists 
of  heavy  floes,  between  which  it  would  not  be  advisable 
to  try  to  force  the  ship ;  her  fate  would  soon  be  sealed. 
Although  our  prospects  for  a  release  are  somewhat  dreary- 
looking,  nobody  appears  to  be  down-hearted,  a  fact  which 
makes  me  conclude  one  thing,  that  they  do  not  appreciate 
a  winter  in  the  pack,  or  that  they  are  Arctic  heroes,  fit  for 
such  expeditions.  The  officers  are,  of  course,  aware  that, 
ten  chances  to  one,  we  are  lost  if  We  should  not  be  able 
to  reach  the  land ;  but  they  do  well  in  not  expressing  their 
feelings,  so  as  to  keep  up  good  spirits  among  the  ship's 
company." 


412  Working  Through  the  Ice. 

1872.  At  10  p.  m.,  one  of  the  men  shot  a  large  seal  from 

the  vessel ;  the  scow  was  lowered,  and  the  seal  secured. 

At  6  a.  m.  on  the  26th,  the  ice  again  opened,  and 
the  captain  ordered  steam  to  be  raised,  hoping  to  be  able 
to  find  a  passage.  At  8  a.  m.,  he  cast  off,  and,  having 
crossed  the  open  space  of  water,  entered  the  only  lead  in 
its  neighborhood.  Following  it  with  great  difficulty 
through  its  intricate  windings,  he  found  it  to  be  a  blind 
lead.  At  10  a.  m.,  it  closed,  when  the  Polaris,  having 
for  a  whole  hour  worked  in  vain  to  force  herself  through, 
was  tied  up  to  a  floe.  The  drift  during  the  day  seemed 
to  be  toward  the  east.  Latitude  at  noon,  79°  36'  30"  N. 

The  blades  of  the  propeller  were  found  to  be  some 
what  bent.  Every  precaution  was  taken  to  keep  the 
well  free.  While  the  ship  was  in  motion,  a  man  was  sta 
tioned  there  to  signal  for  the  engine  to  be  stopped  when 
ever  the  blades  were  about  to  strike  a  piece  of  ice.  Not 
withstanding  this  care,  the  blades  had  suffered. 

The  sun,  which  since  April  had  remained  above  the 
horizon,  now  disappeared  for  a  short  time  at  midnight. 

On  the  27th,  every  preparation  was  made  for  a  possi 
ble  abandonment  of  the  vessel.  Considerable  open  water 
could  be  seen  toward  the  west,  but  it  was  wholly  inac 
cessible.  Ilensselaer  Bay  and  Cape  Isabella,  or  land 
near  them,  could  be  seen  from  the  mast-head.  To 
ward  evening,  the  pressure  being  slack,  the  vessel  was 


Battling  with  the  Floes.  413 

warped  between  the  floes  which  had  brought  her  up  the     1872. 

!       p  AugUSt. 

day  before. 

On  the  28th,  there  were  several  leads  not  far  to  the  . 
west,  but  the  ice  was  too  close  to  enter  them.     The  ves 
sel  was  warped  for  several  hours  without  making  much 
progress.     Latitude  at  noon,  79°  35'  47"  N. ;  longitude  at 
6  p.  m.,  69°  09'  W. 

Oh  the  29th,  toward  evening,  water  was  seen  to  the 
westward  not  more  than  three  miles  distant,  and  an  attempt 
was  again  made  to  warp  the  vessel  through  a  lead  which 
promised  to  afford  an  opening.  After  four  hours'  hard 
work,  the  young  ice,  which  was  two-thirds  of  an  inch 
thick,  proved  to  be  too  great  an  obstacle,  and  steam  was 
raised  to  overcome  it.  The  vessel  worked  laboriously 
until  6  a.  m.  of  the  30th,  but  during  all  these  hours  suc 
ceeded  in  pulling  out  of  the  way  only  one  small  piece  of 
floe ;  this  allowed  her  to  advance  not  more  than  once  her 
own  length.  The  latitude  at  noon  was  79°  35'  N.  One 
ivory-gull  was  seen  during  this  day — the  only  thing  of  life 
in  all  that  waste  of  ice. 

By  observation  of  the  land,  the  vessel  seemed  to 
drift  on  the  31st,  a  few  miles  N.  then  S.,  and  so  on, 
first  in  one  direction  and  then  in  the  other.  Her  drift  to 
the  E.,  and  her  delay  at  this  point,  were  attributed  to  a 
discharge  of  ice  from  Hayes'  Sound.  Another  sugges 
tion  was  that  Smith's  Strait  was  actually  blocked  up,  and 


414  The  Drift  During  September. 

1872.  that  the  ice  pressing  down  from  the  north,  and  meeting 
this  resistance,  passed  to  the  eastward  to  fill  up  Smith's 
Sound. 

The  highest  temperature  observed  on  board  the  ship 
during  the  month  of  August  was  52°.8  F.;  the  lowest 

O  o 

was  28°.9  F.;  while  the  mean  was  37°  F. 

The  drift  of  the  vessel  during  the  month  of  Septem 
ber  was  inconsiderable,  averaging  not  much  more  than 
a  mile  a  day;  she  probably  never  drifted  N.,  but  prin 
cipally  toward  the  S.  and  W.  Southerly  winds  checked 
her  at  times,  and  again  she  remained  nearly  station 
ary  during  periods  of  calm ;  her  movements  being  gov 
erned  directly  by  those  of  the  ice.  The  vessel  on  the  3d 
of  the  month,  was  in  latitude  79°  34'  N.,  and  longitude 
68°  56'  W.  On  the  28th,  her  longitude  was  70°  48'  W., 
and  her  latitude  on  the  30th,  was  79°  02'  N. 

No  very  severe  gales  occurred  during  the  month. 
This  was  a  disappointment.  A  strong  gale  from  almost 
any  quarter  would  have  broken  up  the  ice,  and  -made  an 
opening  by  which  she  could  have  worked  her  way  to  the 
southward.  The  ship's  company  were  walling  to  risk  the 
dangers  of  such  a  gale  for  the  benefit  it  would  confer. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  weather  during 
September.  It  rained  from  1  to  3  a.  in.  of  the  1st,  and  dur 
ing  the  first  part  of  the  2d.  From  4  p.  m.  to  10  p.  m.  on 
the  2d,  snow  fell.  From  the  18th  to  the  26th  inclusive, 


)RIFT  OF  POLARIS  WHILE  BESET 

1672 


TRACK  OF  BQATIS 

1873 


Condition  of  the  Ice.  415 

with  the  exception  of  the  23d,  snow  fell  every  day,  almost 


always  from  midnight  until  5  or  6  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing.  The  fall  at  any  one  time  was  not  heavy,  although 
the  whole  amount  during  the  eight  days  was  large.  Thick 
fog  gathered  about  the  ship  at  7  p.  m.  of  the  3d,  and  con 
tinued  throughout  the  4th.  On  the  9th  and  10th,  it 
renewed  itself,  and  again  on  the  15th  and  the  30th.  One 
of  its  effects  was  to  cover  the  spars  and  rigging  with  great 
ice-crystals,  which  gave  the  vessel  a  wintery  appearance. 

The  condition  of  the  ice  during  this  month  was  as  fol 
lows.  On  the  1st,  a  few  detached  pools  of  water  were  seen, 
the  land  heing  on  this  day  covered,  as  it  was  also  on  the 
29th,  with  thick  clouds.  On  the  2d,  the  ice  was  quite 
active,  moving  in  various  directions  and  piling  up  large 
hummocks.  On  the  4th,  the  young  ice  had  hecome  suf 
ficiently  thick  to  bear  the  dogs.  On  the  8th,  an  open  space 
of  water  was  seen  to  the  east  of  the  ship,  but  entirely 
inclosed.  On  the  llth,  the  few  open  spaces  to  the  north 
and  west  were  not  large  enough  to  tempt  the  captain  to 
try  to  get  the  vessel  into  them.  At  8  p.  m.  on  the  14th, 
a  large  floe  moved  down  toward  the  vessel,  breaking  up 
in  its  progress  young  ice  four  inches  in  thickness.  For 
tunately,  some  larger  ice  interrupted  and  arrested  its 
progress. 

On  the  loth,  there  was  a  slight  motion  in  the  ice, 
which,  however,  produced  no  effect  on  the  vessel.  On 


416  Preparations  for  Disaster. 

1872.     the   19th,  open  water  was  seen  to  the  S.  W.  and  W., 

September 

not  more  than  five  miles  distant.  It  was  an  opening 
which  would  be  closed  in -a  moment,  and  yet  the  idle 
fancy  indulged  itself  in  imagining  what  might  he  done  by 
a  vessel  in  a  couple  of  days  in  such  water  and  in  certain 
directions.  It  had,  however,  become  the  universal  opinion 
that  the  ship  would  winter  in  the  pack.  At  9  a.  m.  of 
the  30th,  the  floes — between  which  the  vessel  was — sepa 
rated  and  left  an  open  space  seventy-five  yards  wide  on 
the  starboard  side  of  the  ship. 

At  9  p.  m.  of  the  16th,  the  full  moon  rising  in  the 

•  east  was  distorted,  being  twice  its  natural  size  and  very 

red.     The  light  had  diminished  so  much,  on  the  27th, 

that  a  lantern  had  to  be  used  to  read  the  instruments  from 

8  p.  m.  to  4  a.  m. 

On  the  2d,  the  hold  had  been  cleared  out,  and  twenty 
barrels  of  pork  and  four  tierces  of  molasses  were  brought 
up  on  deck.  In  order  to  have  everything  in  readiness  for 
disaster,  the  gaff-topsail  and  the  storm -stay  sail — sails  that 
were  not  of  much  use  under  even  the  most  favorable  cir 
cumstances — were  unbent  and  cut  up  into  bags  for 
bread  and  coal ;  and,  on  the  4th,  two  tons  of  coal  were 
brought  on  deck  in  the  bags.  On  the  10th,  the  stores 
from  the  rooms  forward  of  the  men's  quarters  were  also 
taken  on  deck. 

It  began  now  to  be  necessary  to  have  lamps  about 


Drinking-  Water.  417 

the  ship,  and  the  only  kind  of  oil  that  remained,  in  any     1872. 

.  September 

quantity,  was  seal-oil.  I  he  _bsquimaux  were  expected  to 
catch  a  sufficient  n Limber  of  seals  during  the  winter  to 
keep  the  ship  supplied  with  oil.  Among  the  stores,  there 
were  one  or  two  students'  lamps,  which,  on  the  llth,  were 
tried  with  seal-oil,  and  found  to  work  admirably,  after 
arrangements  had  been  made  to  regulate  the  flow. 

Drinking-water  was  obtained  from  the  pools  in  the 
floe,  and  sledded  to  the  ship.  It  was  found,  however,  to 
be  somewhat  brackish,  and  it  was  feared  that  it  would 
prove  deleterious.  Special  care  was  taken  to  get  the 
water  as  fresh  as  possible;  but,  as  the  ice  increased  over 
the  little  ponds,  their  water  became  unfit  for  use  ;  ice  was 
then  obtained  from  -  some  bergs  in  the  neighborhood,  or 
from  the  tops  of  old  hummocks. 

Some  changes  were  now  made  in  the  ship  to  add  to 
the  comfort  of  the  officers.  The  forward  state-room  on  the 
starboard  side,  occupied  by  Mr.  Chester  and  Captain  Ty 
son,  was  enlarged  by  taking  in  the  passage-way;  a  small 
stove  gave  them  sufficient  warmth,  and  a  hurricane-house 
was  built  over  the  entrance  to  their  room.  Joe's  room, 
which  adjoined  Mr.  Chester's,  was  enlarged  in  the  same 
way;  its  entrance  being  aft,  from  the  passage-way.  To 
protect  the  cabin,  a  door  was  cut  through  into  the  starboard 
passage-way,  and  the  door  leading  directly  out  of  the 
cabin  was  closed. 


418  House  on  the  Floe. 

1872.         Hans  and  his  family  having  returned  to  the  forward 

September  ,  .    . 

state-room,  occupied  by  them  during  the  winter,  the 
cook  and  his  culinary  utensils  were  removed  down  to  the 
lower  cabin.  The  pipe  from  the  galley-stove  led  up 
through  the  upper  cabin,  and  was  expected  to  afford  con 
siderable  heat  there. 

On  the  16th,  a  house  on  the  floe  was  begun.  This 
floe,  to  which  the  vessel  had  been  attached  for  a  long 
time,  was  about  three  miles  in  circumference,  and  nearly 
round.  It  was  quite  a  heavy  floe;  its  average  height 
above  the  level  of  the  water  being  about  five  feet. 
Its  surface  was  very  broken,  and  many  of  its  depres 
sions  contained  fresh-water  ponds.  Its  edges  were  piled 
high  with  hummocks,  thrown  upon  it  by  severe  ice- 
pressure. 

A  large  lake  was  selected,  about  two  hundred  yards 
from  the  ship,  the  smooth  surface  of  which  was  made  the 
site  of  the  house.  The  lake  was  protected  on  the  north 
and  south  by  high  ridges  of  hummocks. 

Captain  Tyson  was  appointed  master-builder,  and 
was  assisted  by  Morton,  Bryan,  Mauch,  and  Esquimaux 
Joe.  The  house  was  designed  to  be  27  feet  by  24,  and 
to  face  toward  the  S.  E.  Holes  were  dug  in  the  ice 
for  poles,  in  which  they  were  allowed  to  freeze.  Twelve 
were  set  on  each  side,  and  three  large  ones  placed  across 
the  center  to  support  the  roof,  which  was  to  be  of  canvas. 


The  Leak. 
In  sinking  the  large  poles,    the   floe   was   cut   entirely     1872. 

,,       i>    -      n  September 

through  at  a  depth  ot  six  ieet. 

The  leak  in  the  Polaris  continued  to  ffive  trouble : 

o 

nine  hundred  pounds  of  coal  were  used  daily  in  working 
the  pumps.  Many  plans  for  stopping  the  leak  were  tried 
without  success ;  Chester  and  the  carpenter  went  down 
into  the  forepeak,  and  worked  in  vain  at  it  several  hours. 
It  was  then  decided  to  attempt  freezing  the  water  in  the 
vessel,  and  90  fathoms  of  small  chain  were  payed  down 
the  forepeak  into  the  water — to  hasten  the  freezing  of 
which  a  wind-sail  was  rigged  to  carry  the  air  down  upon 
the  chain.  On  the  llth,  the  ice  having  been  cut  away,  a 
sail  was  stretched  under  the  bows.  Again,  on  the  13th, 
it  was  attempted  to  make  the  after  bulkhead  of  the  fore- 
peak  water-tight.  At  the  same  time,  oakum  was  stuffed 
into  the  leak  on  the  outside  under  the  sail.  But  after  all 
had  been  done,  the  leak  proved  to  be  as  bad  as  ever. 
The  engineer  now  turned  his  attention  to  a  more  econom 
ical  use  of  fuel  in  keeping  the  ship  clear.  In  the  fire- 
room,  there  was  a  small  boiler  designed  to  be  used  with 
the  apparatus  for  burning  oil.  Schumann  believed  that  if 
he  could  fix  up  this  boiler  and  make  the  proper  connec 
tion,  he  could  raise  sufficient  steam  to  keep  the  donkey- 
pump  at  work — a  pump  which  had  only  been  intended  to 
fill  the  engine-boilers  with  water.  The  boiler  was  moved 
aft  and  secured  to  a  bed  made  for  it ;  and  its  smoke-pipe 


420  The  Little  Boiler. 

1872.     Was  run  up  through  Joe's  room  to  heat  it.     Fortunately, 

September 

it  was  made  to  work  very  well,  consuming  only  350 
pounds  of  coal  a  day,  and  keeping  the  pump  constantly 
going.  A  careful  estimate  on  the  23d,  of  the  quantity  of 
coal  still  on  hand  gave  20  tons.  The  constant  work,  day 
and  night,  of  the  little  pump,  proving  too  much  for  it, 
it  broke  down  on  the  29th.  The  bilge-pump  was  set  to 
work  while  the  former  was  repaired.  In  these  emer 
gencies,  everything  depended  on  the  skill  and  industry  of 
Mr.  Schumann.  His  energy  and  resources  rose  with  the 
occasion ;  and  he  was  ably  seconded  by  his  assistants, 
especially  by  Booth. 

The  second  whale-boat  was  now  taken  off  the  house, 

where  it  had  been  stowed,  and  hunof  on  the  forward  davits 

~ 

on  the  port  side,  to  be  ready  to  be  lowered  at  a  moment's 


warning. 


During  the  first  two  weeks  of  the  month,  many  birds 
and  seals  were  seen,  but  none  killed.  A  turnstone  was  seen 
on  the  3d;  a  flock  of  doveldes  on  the  9th;  dovekies,  eider- 
ducks,  and  three  seals  on  the  10th ;  and  a  few  seals  on  the 
13th.  During  the  next  week,  Hans  was  the  successful 
hunter,  although  both  natives  went  out  every  day,  and, 
skirting  the  edge  of  the  floe,  watched  for  seals  in  the  open 
spaces  or  in  the  young  ice.  Hans  shot  three  dovekies  on 
the  14th,  and  on  the  16th,  18th,  and  also  on  the  21st,  suc 
ceeded  in  catching  a  seal.  On  the  18th,  Joe  saw  some 


Scurvy.  421 

walrus,  and  fired  at  them  without  success.     During  the     1872. 

September 

next  week,  Joe  was  more  fortunate,  shooting  two  seals  on 
the  22d,  one  on  the  23d,  one  on  the  24th,  two  on  the 
26th,  three  on  the  28th,  one  on  the  29th,  and  one  on  the 
30th.  On  the  last  of  these  days,  many  other  seals  and 
also  some  eider-ducks  were  seen.  Hans  did  not  meet 
with'  so  much  success,  but  caught  one  seal  on  the  28th 
and  one  on  the  29th.  A  large  number  of  the  seals  were 
immediately  eaten,  and  many  were  stored  by  the  captain, 
who  thus  commenced  laying  up  provision  for  the  winter. 

While  hunting  on  the  24th,  Joe  had  quite  an  advent 
ure.  He  had  killed  a  seal  in  open  water  not  far  from  the 
edge  of  the  floe,  and,  not  having  his  kyak  with  him,  he 
ventured  after  the  seal  on  a  cake  of  ice.  The  cake  broke 
into  two  pieces,  and  as  neither  piece  singly  had  sufficient 
buoyancy  to  bear  him,  he  placed  one  foot  on  each,  and, 
catching  his  harpoon  in  the  firm  ice,  slowly  drew  him 
self  in  with  his  prize. 

Mr.  Meyer  began  to  show  signs  of  scurvy.  At  first 
it  was  thought  to  be  rheumatism;  but  his  leg  became 
drawn  up  so  badly  that  he  was  only  able  to  touch  the  toe 
of  his  foot  to  the  ground.  He  \vas  very  reluctant  to  take 
the  medicine  which  the  captain  prescribed,  namely,  fresh 
seal-blood  and  raw  meat.  It  was,  however,  prepared  in 
various  ways,  and  his  principal  diet  for  a  long  time  was 
seal.  He  recovered  slowly  under  that  regimen. 


422  Hans'  Adventure. 

1872.  On  the   1st  of  this   month,  there  was  considerable 

October.  n 

movement  in  the  ice,  and  the  large  noes  were  heard 
grinding  against  each  other  and  crushing  the  young  ice. 
The  vessel  did  not,  however,  suffer;  the  projections  on 
either  side  of  the  bight,  in  which  she  lay,  kept  off  the 
heavy  floes.  A  good  deal  of  open  water  was  seen  to  the 
8.  and  S.  E.  along  the  land.  The  latitude  observed  on 
this  day  was  79°  00'  N.  The  minimum  temperature  dur 
ing  the  previous  night  was  — 1°.6  Fahr.  This  was  the  first 
time  since  the  winter  that  the  thermometer  had  fallen 
below  zero. 

The  hours  of  the  previous  winter,  for  meals,  were  now 
resumed;  breakfast  being  at  9  a.  m.  and  dinner  at  3  p.  m. 
Mr.  Chester  tapped  a  barrel  of  beer,  which  he  had  pre 
pared,  and  it  received  the  hearty  commendation  of  those 
who  tried  it. 

Hans  succeeded  in  catching  a  seal  under  unfavorable 

o 

circumstances.  He  killed  the  animal,  and,  in  order  to 
reach  it,  he  used  a  small  piece  of  ice  as  a  float,  ferrying 
himself  out  in  the  little  pool.  When  in  the  midst  of  the 
water,  the  ice  closed ;  the  little  piece  of  ice  upon  which  he 
was,  turned  over,  and  Hans  got  a  ducking ;  he  was  res 
cued  with  the  assistance  of  Joe,  after  much  labor ;  like 
a  good  fellow,  he  kept  fast  to  the  seal  all  the  time,  and 
brought  it  to  the  ship. 

On  the  2d,  the  vessel  suffered  a  slight  pressure.   Robert 


The  Polaris  Near  the  Land.  423 

Kruger  shot  a  seal,  and  Joe  was  equally  successful.     At     1872. 
11.30  p.   m.,  Mr.  Bryan   determined,  by  observing   the 
altitudes  of  two  stars,  the  ship's  position  to  be,  latitude 
78°  59'  N.,  longitude  70°  35'  W. 

On  the  3d,  the  vessel  experienced  a  very  severe  nip. 
In  the  morning,  Joe  caught  a  large  ookgook,  and  in  the 
afternoon  a  smaller  seal.  The  ookgook  was  8  feet  long 
and  6  feet  in  circumference ;  it  was  supposed  to  weigh 
600  pounds  and  to  contain  a  barrel  of  oil.  An  eider-duck 
and  an  Arctic  owl  were  seen  near  the  vessel.  Latitude 
observed,  78°  58'  N. 

The  ship  was  in  a  thick  fog  on  the  4th  from  3  to  8  a. 
m. ;  she  was  rapidly  approaching  the  land ;  Rensselaer 
Harbor  was  thought  to  be  not  more  than  twenty  miles 
distant. 

Captain  Tyson  finished  the  frame  of  the  house  on  the 
floe ;  it  stood  ready  for  its  canvas  covering.  Mr.  Meyer's 
scurvy  had  almost  disappeared.  Two  eider-ducks  were 
seen  on  the  water  near  the  ship.  Hans  caught  a  seal,  and 
Joe  brought  three  to  the  ship.  The  two  Esquimaux  went 
out  regularly  every  day,  and  walked  along  the  edge  of  the 
floe,  watching  for  seals  in  the  little  pools  that  were  formed 
at  different  points.  They  were  watched  from  the  vessel 
with  a  glass,  and  whenever  the  signal  was  made,  the  dogs 
were  harnessed,  and  carrying  the  scow,  were  driven  with 
great  rapidity  to  the  place  to  bring  back  the  seals.  On 


424  Three  Seals  Killed. 

1872.  this  day,  Joe  signaled  that  he  had  killed  a  seal,  and 
Jamka,  who  was  nearly  always  on  watch,  with  Aunting. 
started  at  once  with  the  dog-team.  Jamka  was  the  most 
successful  dog-driver  in  the  crew.  They  launched  the 
scow,  and  had  just  landed  the  seal  on  the  ice,  when  an 
other  bobbed  up  its  head  to  see  what  was  going  on,  and 
Joe  shot  it.  As  they  were  paddling  after  the  second,  a 
third  appeared,  and  looked  inquiringly  around.  He  stayed 
up  long  enough  for  Joe  to  level  his  rifle  at  him,  and  was 
added  as  another  trophy. 

On  the  5th,  the  ice  moved  considerably;  the  floe 
swinging  round  and  the  vessel  shifting  her  head  from 
N.  N.  W.  to  W.  \  N.  The  house  on  the  floe  was  now 
covered  with  canvas  made  from  the  awnings  which  bad 
been  spread  over  the  deck  the  winter  before.  From  5 
to  10  a.  m.  on  the  6th,  a  gale  from  the  south  prevailed  with 
snow.  The  latitude  observed  was  78°  57'  30"  N. 

Snow  fell  on  the  7th  from  2  to  7  a.  m.  Part  of  the 
crew  were  employed  in  finishing  the  house  on  the  floe, 
and  another  part  in  hauling  ice  to  the  ship.  The  engi 
neers  had  made  arrangements  to  melt  ice,  so  as  to  have 
fresh  water  for  the  little  boiler.  Mr.  Schumann  had  fitted 
a  blow-off  so  as  to  clear  out  the  salt  that  was  left  in  the 
boiler,  but  it  did  not  keep  the  boiler  entirely  free  from 
incrustations ;  it  was  thought  best  to  use  fresh  water.  Joe 
caught  another  seal,  and  he  found  that  a  snow  wall 


A  Pear.  425 

which  he  had  erected  to  shield  him  from  the  winds  while     1872. 

October. 

waiting  for  seals  had  heen  torn  down  by  a  bear,  and  that 
the  animal  had  followed  him  nearly  to  the  ship. 

On  the  8th,  the  house  on  the  iloe  was  completely  fin 
ished.  Hans  caught  two  seals  and  Joe,  one.  So  many 
had  now  been  caught  that  it  was  thought  there  would  be 
enough  blubber  to  supply  oil  for  the  winter's  use ;  and  so 
much  meat  had  been  packed  away  that  no  apprehension 
was  entertained  of  scurvy  during  the  winter.  The  lati 
tude  observed  was  78°  47'  45"  N. 

On  the  9th,  there  was  much  motion  in  the  ice.  Many 
large  hummocks  were  found,  and  the  vessel  drifted  rap 
idly.  Mr.  Meyer,  by  the  bearings  of  two  or  three  promi 
nent  capes,  determined  the  ship's  position  to  be  latitude 
78°  45'  N.,  longitude  70°  15'  W.  Eighteen  hundred 
pounds  of  bread  were  placed  in  bags  and  carried  to  the 
house  on  the  iloe.  Hans  caught  two  seals.  Two  of  the 
men  out  hunting  saw  a  bear.  They  fired  several  shots  at 
it,  but  failed  in  wounding  it  mortally  ;  it  escaped  over  the 
rough  hummocks  toward  the  shore.  When  this  was  re- 

o 

ported  at  the  ship,  there  was  a  general  rush  with  all  sorts 
of  weapons  toward  the  scene  of  action,  but  Bruin  was  out 
of  sight. 

On  the  10th,  Cape  Grinnell  was  thought  to  be  twelve 
miles  distant.  The  leak  in  the  Polaris  had  somewhat  dimin 
ished,  and  it  was  hoped  that  soon  the  water  in  the  fore- 


426  Passing  Cairn  Point. 

peak  would  freeze  up  and  no  more  pumping  would  be 


October. 

needed.     I  wo  seals  were  cauht. 


On  the  llth,  the  hut  at  Anowaytok,  mentioned  by 
Kane,  was  seen,  and  recognized  by  both  Morton  and  Hans. 
It  was  about  six  miles  from  the  vessel  which  now  began 
to  drift  very  fast,  and  there  seemed  to  be  a  prospect  of 
her  passing  out  of  Smith's  Sound  before  the  winter.  Many, 
however,  still  believed  that  the  Polaris  would  be  detained 
there  until  the  following  summer.  Joe  caught  a  seal.  Some 
alterations  were  made  in  the  seamen's  quarters  to  insure 
greater  comfort. 

At  8  a.  m.  of  the  12th,  Cairn  Point  was  only  two 
miles  to  the  S.  E.,  and  the  ship  was  moving  rapidly. 
At  9  a.  m.,  two  parhelia  were  seen.  The  latitude  ob 
served  at  noon  was  78°  28'  21"  N.  Joe  caught  a  seal. 
The  little  donkey-pump  again  broke  down,  and  while  the 
engineers  were  engaged  in  repairing  it  the  bilge-pump  in 
the  starboard  passage-way  was  used  to  keep  the  vessel 
clear. 

On  the  13th,  Gale  Point  was  due  west  at  noon.  The 
N.  E.  gale  which  had  been  prevailing  for  two  or  three 
days  had  materially  assisted  in  carrying  the  vessel  to  the 
southward.  During  the  morning  of  the  14th,  the  vessel 
was  drifting  quite  rapidly  down  the  middle  of  the  straits. 

The  floe  was  turning,  and  .at  times  it  made  a  com 
plete  revolution.  The  tracks  of  three  bears,  one  old 


Northumberland  Island.  427 

one  and  two  cubs,  were  seen  near  the  vessel.     They  were     1872. 
probably  prevented   by  the   dogs   from    coming   nearer. 
Joe    caught   a   seal    during    the    day.     Mr.  Meyer   was 
entirely  restored,  and  was  in  perfectly  good  health  and 
spirits. 

Northumberland  Island  was  now  in  sight,  far  to  the 
S.  E.  A  fresh  breeze  from  the  west  sprang  up  toward 
evening. 

At  5  a.  m.  of  the  15th,  a  very  heavy  snow  began  to 
fall,  and  continued  until  8  a.  m.,  when  the  wind  blew  so 
hard  that  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish  between  the 
falling  and  the  drifting  snow.  The  gale  increased  to  40 
miles  an  hour,  and  continued  all  day,  driving  the  vessel 
with  its  surrounding  ice  with. great  rapidity.  It  com 
menced  to  blow  from  the  S.  E.,  but  shifted  to  the 
S.,  and  finally  to  the  S.  W.  During  its  prevalence, 
the  air  was  so  completely  filled  writh  the  flying  snow 
that  one  could  not  see  more  than  20  or  30"  feet.  The 
ship  had  remained  fast  to  the  floe  so  long,  and  drifted  with 
it  so  far,  that  no  particular  anxiety  was  felt  as  to  the  result. 
The  captain  had,  however,  always  said  that  if  the  vessel 
passed  through  Smith's  Strait,  he  would  not  feel  easy  until 
the  ice  in  which  she  lay,  had  joined  the  regular  Baffin's 
Bay  pack.  The  "north-water",  as  it  is  called  by  whale 
men,  is  always  found  in  the  northern  part  of  Baffin's  Bay; 
and  he  knew  that,  were  this  safely  crossed,  the  ship  would 


428  Drifting  Rapidly. 

float  quietly  down  with  the  pack  all  winter,  and  be  released 


in  the  spring  far  to  the  south. 

The  direction  in  which  the  vessel  was  moving  was  a 
matter  of  speculation;  the  fact  of  her  moving  was  ad 
mitted.  The  daily  work  being  done,  after  dinner  the  men 
settled  themselves  down  as  usual  for  the  enjoyments  of 
the  evening.  At  6  p.  in.,  it  was  reported  that  the  star 
board  side  of  the  vessel  was  free  from  ice.  The  captain 
turned  up  the  people,  and  secured  the  ship  by  an  addi 
tional  hawser  to  the  floe.  This  extra  hawser  Avas  over 
the  stern,  and  led  from  a  large  ice-anchor,  sunk  in  the  floe, 
to  the  main-mast.  Two  hawsers  had  served  during  the 
whole  of  the  drift  to  hold  the  Polaris  to  the  floe,  one  over 
the  bows  and  one  over  the  stern. 

Final  preparations  were  made  to  abandon  the  vessel; 
nearly  everything  had  been  got  ready  on  deck;  the  sea 
men  still  had  their  clothes  and  personal  effects  to  look 
after. 

The  Polaris  was  driven  along  at  a  very  rapid  rate. 
Many  eager  faces  looked  over  the  rail  and  peered  into  the 
darkness  and  the  gloom,  wondering  what  would  happen 
next.  The  sky  was  threatening.  The  moon  struggled  in 
vain  to  break  through  the  clouds.  TWTO  icebergs  were 
passed  in  close  proximity.  Some  judgment  could  be 
formed  by  means  of  them  as  to  the  rapidity  with  which 
the  vessel  was  moving.  One  could  scarcely  help  shud- 


'  'AUFORNU 


The  Nip.  429 

dering  as  he  thought  of   the    consequences  of  running     1872. 
into  one  of  those  gigantic  ice-mountains.     One  or  two 
persons  thought  the  land  was  visible,  hut  it  was  very 
uncertain. 

At  7.30,  the  vessel  ran  among  some  icebergs,  which 
brought  up  the  floe  to  which  she  was  attached ;  at  the 
same  time,  the  pack  closed  up,  jamming  her  heavily; 
it  was  then  the  vessel  received  her  severest  nip.  It  is 
hard  to  describe  the  effect  of  that  pressure.  She  shook 
and  trembled.  She  was  raised  up  bodily  and  thrown 
over  on  her  port  side.  Her  timbers  cracked  with  loud 
report,  especially  about  the  stern.  The  sides  seemed  to 
be  breaking  in.  The  cleat  to  which  one  of  the  after 
hawsers  was  attached  snapped  off,  and  the  hawser  was 
secured  to  the  mast.  One  of  the  firemen,  hurrying  on 
deck,  reported  that  a  piece  of  ice  had  been  driven 
through  the  sides.  Escape  from  destruction  seemed  to 
be  impossible.  The  pressure  and  the  noise  increased 
together.  The  violence  of  the  storm,  the  darkness  of 
the  night,  and  the  grinding  of  the  ice,  added  to  the 
horror  of  the  situation.  Feeling  that  it  was  extremely 
doubtful  whether  the  ship  would  stand,  Captain  Budington 
ordered  provisions  and  stores  to  be  thrown  upon  the 
ice.  Then  followed  a  busy  scene.  Each  one  was  deeply 
impressed  with  the  exigency  of  the  moment,  and  ex 
erted  himself  to  the  utmost.  Boxes,  barrels,  cans,  &c., 


430  Throwing  Stores  on  the  Ice. 

1872.     were   thrown   over   the   side   with   extraordinary  rapid- 

October* 

ity.  Men  performed  gigantic  feats  of  strength ;  tossing 
with  apparent  ease,  in  the  excitement  of  the  mo 
ment,  boxes  which  at  other  times  they  would 
not  have  essayed  to  lift.  Forward,  coal  and  the 
more  substantial  provisions  and  bags  of  clothing  were 
thrown  overboard;  abaft,  the  lighter  boxes  of  canned 
meats  and  tobacco,  with  all  the  musk-ox  skins  and  fresh 
seal-meat,  were  transported  to  the  iloe.  The  cabin  was 
entirely  emptied ;  beds  and  bedding,  clothes,  and  even  orna 
ments,  were  carried  out.  Messrs.  Bryan  and  Meyer  placed 
upon  the  floe  the  boxes  containing  all  their  note-books, 
observations,  &c.  This  was  done  deliberately  and  after 
mutual  consultation.  The  boxes  were  too  lar^e  to  be 

o 

carried  about,  and,  in  the  actual  condition  of  things,  the 
floe  appeared  to  be,  decidedly,  the  safest  place.  They 
were  taken  far  back  and  placed  with  the  provisions  and 
clothing. 

Mr.  Bryan's  box  contained,  together  with  his  private 
letters  and  papers,  the  following  public  articles : — 

Note-books  containing  astronomical  and  geodetic  ob- 

o  o 

servations  made  by  Captain  Hall; 

Observations  made  with  the  transit-instrument:  for 
time ;  and  for  longitude,  by  1 2  complete  sets  of  moon-cul 
minations,  and  by  observations  on  Jupiter's  satellites; 

Observations  made  with  the  alt-azimuth  instrument  or 


Mr.  Bryan's  Box.  431 

Casella  theodolite :  for  latitude  of  different  places;  for  time;     1872. 

October. 

lor  decimation  of  magnetic  needle ;  and  for  surveying  pur 
poses  ; 

Observations  made  with  the  sextant :  for  position  at 
different  places ;  for  the  latitude  of  Thank-God  Harbor 
by  double  and  circum-meridian  altitudes  of  the  sun  and 
stars  at  both  culminations  ;  for  time  at  Thank-God  Harbor 
by  sets  of  single  and  equal  altitudes  of  sun  and  stars,  a 
very  large  number;  for  longitude  of  Thank-God  Harbor 
by  altitudes  of  the  moon,  and  by  over  300  lunar  distances; 
for  declination  of  magnetic  needle  by  solar  bearings;  for  ^ 
determining  the  height  of  twilight  arch  and  the  diameters 
of  halos;  and  for  surveying  purposes; 

Observations  with  the  magnetometer :  for  variation 

o 

of  magnetic  declination,  comprising  hourly  observations 
extending  over  five  months,  and  six-minute  observations 
during  three  term-days  in  each  month ;  for  absolute  decli 
nation,  by  reference  to  terrestrial  objects  whose  azimuth  had 
been  determined  by  solar  bearings;  and  for  absolute  intensity ; 

Observations  with  the  dip-circle :  for  magnetic  inclina 
tion  in  several  places,  including  23  sets  at  Thank-God 
Harbor ;  and  for  relative  intensity  by  Floyd's  needles ; 

Observations  with  the  prismatic  compass :  for  mag 
netic  declination;  and  surveying  purposes; 

Note-books,  of  surveys,  and  the  daily  chronometer 
comparisons ; 


432  Mr.  Meyer's  Box. 

1872.  Two  large  books  containing  a  very  full  daily  record 

October. 

of  events ; 

Several  books  containing  detailed  accounts  of  impor 
tant  events; 

A  large  botanical  collection; 

Several  choice  zoological  and  mineralogical  speci 
mens. 

The  following  list  of  the  contents  of  Mr.  Meyer's  box 
is  taken  from  his  report  to  Brig.  Gen.  A.  J.  Myer,  Chief 
Signal-Officer  of  the  Army: — 

Private  letters  and  documents; 

Eecord  of  meteorological  observations  reduced  and 
corrected; 

Books  of  comparisons  for  the  correction  and  veri 
fication  of  meteorological  instruments  and  observa 
tions  ; 

Table  of  relative  humidity,  and  dew-point  for  indi 
cations  of  the  wet-bulb  between  0°  and  —  50° ; 

History  of  the  expedition  in  journal  form; 

Meteorological  journal  containing  a  detailed  record 
of  occasional  observations  and  short  discussions  of  marked 
meteorological  phenomena; 

Astronomical  and  gcodetical  observations,  including 
surveys  of  all  land  discovered  and  corrected ; 

Observations  on  magnetic   declination  at   numerous 

o 

localities; 


Heroism  of  Engineer  Department.  433 

Observations  on  horizontal  intensity  of  magnetism  at     1872. 
Thank-God  Harbor  by  theodolite-magnetometer; 

Botanical  collection  of  plants  between  latitude  81° 
26'  N.  and  82°07'N.; 

Topographical  map  of  Thank-God  Harbor  and  Polaris 
Bay,  secured  in  a  tin  cylinder. 

The  pendulum-observations,  which  properly  belonged 
to  Mr.  Bryan's  work,  having  been  recorded  by  Dr.  Bessels, 
were  fortunately  kept  by  him,  and  not  put  out  on  the  ice. 

The  Esquimaux  women  and  children  took  refuge  on 
the  floe.  It  should  be  mentioned,  however,  that  Hannah, 
after  taking  out  the  things  from  her  room,  worked  like  a 
man,  proving  herself  equally  capable  in  handling  heavy 
boxes. 

The  little  bilge-pump  in  the  passage-way  had  been 
kept  going,  but  the  leak  was  increasing,  and  it  could  no 
longer  be  made  to  suck.  Captain  Budington  at  once 
ordered  steam  to  be  raised  in  the  little  boiler.  It  was 
dangerous  to  be  at  work  down  in  the  fire-room,  when  the 
ice  was  threatening  to  crush  in  the  vessel's  side  above 
them;  but  the  engineer  department  did  not  now  shrink 
from  danger — it  never  had  done  so. 

The  two  boats  were  lowered,  and,  with  the  scow, 
were  placed  on  the  floe.  The  pressure  had  now  be 
come  so  great  that  the  great  floe  itself  had  cracked  in 
several  places,  and  the  vessel  was  gradually  breaking  off' 

28 


434  The  Separation. 

1872.  its  edge  and  bearing  down  the  pieces.  Many  articles  had 
been  thrown  in  a  heap  near  the  ship,  and  it  was  found 
that  some  of  the  lower  things  in  the  pile  were  dropping 
through  between  the  vessel  and  the  ice.  It  was  also  seen 

o 

that  should  the  ship  be  cut  through  and  sink,  many,  if 
not  all,  these  articles  would  sink  with  her.  A  call  was 
therefore  made  for  men  to  carry  these  articles  to  a  safer 
place  on  the  floe.  There  was  no  special  designation  for 
that  duty;  but  Captain  Tyson,  taking  several  persons 
with  him,  at  once  entered  on  it.  After  laboring  about 
one  hour  and  a  half,  the  decks  were  cleared  and  the  men 
on  board  ship  had  finished  their  work.  At  9.30  p.  m., 
by  some  change  in  the  ice,  the  starboard  side  was  again 
clear ;  the  vessel  wras  free  from  pressure,  and  the  cracks 

in  the  floe  began  to  open. 

Unfortunately,  two  of  these  cracks  ran  through  the 
places  where  the  stern  anchors  had  been  planted,  break 
ing  their  hold.  The  wind,  still  strong,  now  drove  the 
vessel  from  the  floe,  and,  the  anchors  dragging  under  the 
strain,  she  swung  round  to  the  forward  hawser.  The 
latter  slipped,  and  the  vessel  was  carried  rapidly  away 
from  the  ice.  The  night  was  black  and  stormy,  and  in  a 
few  moments  the  floe  and  its  precious  freight  could  no 
longer  be  seen  through  the  drifting  snow.  Before  the 
separation,  it  had  been  noticed,  that  the  floe  was  much 
broken  on  its  edge;  that  the  provisions  and  stores  were 


The  Men  Left  on  the  Floe. 

separated  from  each  other  by  rapidly  widening  cracks; 
that  the  men  also  were  on  different  pieces  of  ice;  that 
active  efforts  were  being  made  to  launch  boats  in  order  to 
bring  the  scattered  people  together.  Several  men  were 
seen  rushing  toward  the  ship  as  she  was  leaving,  but 
they  failed  to  reach  her.  The  voice  of  the  steward,  John 
Herron,  was  heard  calling  out,  "Good-by,  Polaris!" 


435 

1872. 
October. 


XVIII 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 


As  soon  as  the  floe-party  disappeared,  Captain  Bud-     1872. 

October. 

ington  called  all  hands  to  muster,  when  it  was  found  that 
fourteen  men  remained  on  board : 

Captain,  S.  0.  Budington ; 

First  mate,  H.  C.  Chester ; 

Second  mate,  Wm.  Morton ; 

Chief  of  scientific  corps,  Dr.  Emil  Bessels  ; 

Astronomer,  R.  W.  D.  Bryan ; 

First  engineer,  E.  Schumann ; 

Second  engineer,  A.  A.  Odell ; 

Carpenter,  N'.  J.  Coffin ; 

Firemen,  J.  W.  Booth,  W.  F.  Campbell ; 

Seamen,  J.  B.  Mauch,  N.  Hayes,  H.  Siemens,  H. 
Hobby. 

This  remnant  of  a  crew,  so  suddenly  reduced,  gazed 
on  each  other  for  a  few  moments  in  silence — when  the 
order  was  given  to  station  the  lookouts ;  the  duties  of  tho 
ship  were  resumed. 


440  The  Polaris  Afloat. 

The  impression  was  that  both  the  rudder  and  the 


propeller  had  been  injured,  and  without  the  former  it  was 
useless  to  make  sail  ;  there  was,  as  yet,  no  steam.  The 
wind  drove  the  vessel  with  rapidity  through  the  water, 
which,  except  for  detached  pieces  of  ice,  seemed  to  be 
clear  ;  the  sea  was  rough.  Several  bergs  were  passed  in 
safety,  but  not  without  increased  anxiety  when  it  was 
remembered  that  the  boats  had  been  left  on  the  floe. 
This  was  a  period  of  deep  gloom  and  of  conscious  help 
lessness,  not  unaccompanied,  however,  by  that  trust  in 
Divine  Providence  which  never  forsakes  the  breast  of  an 
able  seaman. 

A  few  moments  after  the  separation,  one  of  the  fire 
men  who  was  below  getting  up  steam,  reported  that  the 
vessel  was  leaking  very  fast.  Mr.  Schumann  was  sent  to 
make  an  examination,  and  his  report  was  very  alarming. 
The  water  was  pouring  in  so  rapidly  that  he  feared  the 
fires  would  be  put  out  before  steam  was  raised  to  work 
the  pump  ;  all  hands  were  at  once  sent  to  the  large  main- 
deck  pumps.  A  few  pails  of  hot  water  from  the  boiler 
started  the  four  pumps.  "  Now  work  for  your  lives,  boys," 
said  the  captain  ;  and  all  worked  with  a  will  ;  continual 
streams  poured  from  the  pumps.  The  scuppers,  even 
when  cleared,  were  not  sufficient  to  carry  off  the  water 
in  which  the  crew  were  standing  —  insensible  to  the  expos 
ure  because  working  for  life.  Frequent  soundings  of  the 


Pumping  for  Life.  441 

well  showed  that  the  leak  was  gaining ;  the  engineers  and     1872. 

October. 

firemen  were  urged  to  their  utmost.  Everything  com 
bustible,  including  seal-blubber,  which  happened  oppor 
tunely  to  be  at  hand,  was  thrown  into  the  fire.  They 
worked  as  they  never  had  worked  before ;  for  they  knew 
very  well  that  if  the  water  rose  to  the  fire-plates  all  would 
be  lost.  After  an  hour  and  ten  minutes  of  the  severest 
labor,  the  welcome  word  was  passed  that  steam  was  up 
and  the  steam-pump  at  work ;  this  came  not  a  moment 
too  soon.  So  rapidly  had  the  water  gained  that,  at  the 
moment  the  pump  commenced  to  work,  it  was  lapping 
over  on  the  lloor  of  the  fire-room.  In  a  few  moments 
more  it  would  have  reached  the  fire  itself,  and  the  his 
tory  of  one  part  of  the  crew  of  the  Polaris  would  have 
ended.  The  steam-pump,  however,  did  good  service,  and 
rapidly  gained  on  the  leak,  so  that  all  anxiety  was  for  the 
Lime  removed. 

The  Polaris  continued  to  drift  along  until  toward 
midnight,  when  she  ran  into  posh  ice,  and  her  progress 
was  stayed.  The  wind  died  away  and  all  was  quiet; 
the  moon  began  to  show  herself  more  frequently,  and  a 
few  stars  were  seen  here  and  there.  The  men  gave  them 
selves  up  to  broken  slumbers,  which,  under  the  circum 
stances,  were  the  only  rest  possible.  The  officers  (their 
own  bedding  being  on  the  floe)  sat  up  in  Mr.  Chester's 
room,  and  discussed  the  probable  i'ate  of  their  absent 


442  Looking  for  Floe  Party. 

companions,  and  their  own,  by  no  means  brilliant,  pros- 


Oclober. 

pects. 


The  morning  of  the  16th  was  calm  and  clear.  At 
daylight,  the  first  object  was  to  determine  the  ship's  posi 
tion.  The  vessel  lay  in  young  ice  about  twelve  inches  in 
thickness,  not  far  from  the  eastern  coast.  Upon  studying 
the  land  carefully,  it  appeared  that  she  was  about  half 
way  between  Littleton  Island  and  Cairn  Point,  and  not 
more  than  five  miles  from  the  coast,  opposite  the  head  of 
Life-Boat  Cove.  Since  there  was  only  coal  enough  to 
keep  fires  alive  for  a  few  days,  it  was  evident  that  the 
vessel  must  be  abandoned.  The  foresail  was  unbent  and 
cut  up  to  make  bags  for  coals  and  bread. 

Mr.  Chester  was  sent  to  the  crow's  nest  to  look  for 
the  party  left  on  the  ice.  He  examined  everything  care 
fully  with  a  good  glass,  but  could  see  no  living  creature. 
He  thought  he  saw  some  of  the  provisions  and  stores  on 
a  floe,  out  toward  the  middle  of  the  strait,  about  four  miles 
from  the  ship  ;  others  who  saw  the  same  thing  felt  sure 
that  it  was  black  ice,  or  stones,  or  debris.  Henry  Hobby 
looked  also  for  the  missing  people,  but  could  see  nothing 
of  them.  This  was  variously  accounted  for  ;  first,  by  sup 
posing  that  the  vessel  had  drifted  entirely  out  of  sight  ; 
secondly,  by  supposing  that  she  was  concealed  by  the' 
land.  Mr.  Chester  says  in  the  log-book:  "The  large  floe 
that  our  party  were  on  must  have  stopped  to  the  south 


Land  Reached.  443 

"of  Littleton  Island,  and  very  near  the  east  shore  of  the     1872. 

October. 

straits." 

About  S  a.  m.,  a  breeze  sprang  up  from  the  N.  E., 
breaking  up  the  young  ice,  and  making  lanes  of  water  lead 
ing  to  the  shore.  At  once  the  captain  decided  to  take 
advantage  of  these  openings,  and  get  the  ship  as  soon  as 
possible  secured  to  the  land.  When  it  was  proved  that 
the  ice  would  bear,  Hermann  Siemens  was  sent  out  to 
plant  anchors  for  warping  ship.  The  little  boiler  con 
tained  steam  enough  for  a  few  revolutions  of  the  engine, 
and  once  in  a  while  it  was  used  to  help  the  vessel  round 
a  point.  All  were  agreeably  surprised  to  find  that  the 
propeller  was  in  good  condition,  and  that  the  rud 
der,  although  injured,  could  still  be  relied  upon.  When 
the  wind  strengthened,  the  jib,  main-sail,  main-spencer, 
and  the  stay-sail  were  hoisted,  and  the  vessel  made  good 
way. 

Thus  the  ship  finally  reached  the  land,  where  she  was 
secured  with  heavy  hawsers  to  large  grounded  hummocks; 
she  lay  with  her  starboard  side  toward  the  beach.  After 
her  stern-post  took  the  ground,  it  was  impossible  to  get  her 
farther  up.  On  the  ebb,  she  heeled  so  much  that  the 
water  came  half-way  up  the  bulwarks. 

The  captain  and  Dr.  Bessels  took  refuge  for  the  night 
in  Mr.  Chester's  room.  Morton,  Bryan,  and  Mauch  chose 
the  forecastle,  where  they  found  some  blankets  left  by  the 


444  The  Leak. 

1872.  men  who  had  gone  on  the  floe.  The  whole  company  was 
badly  off  for  clothes,  having  none  but  those  on  their  backs. 
A  few  refuse  pieces  of  clothing  were  found,  and  added  to 
the  scanty  store.  The  sentiment  of  relief  and  gratitude 
for  the  escape  from  their  recent  perils  was  deep  and 
universal. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  17th,  the  crew  were 
set  to  work  making  preparations  for  leaving  the  ship. 
Toward  noon,  it  being  very  high  water,  an  attempt  was 
made  to  get  the  vessel  nearer  shore,  and  more  head  on ; 
the  grounded  ice-masses  were,  however,  so  close  together 
that  little  could  be  done.  During  the  morning,  two  blue 
foxes  were  seen.  The  sun  at  noon  did  not  show  itself 
above  the  mountains.  It  had  been  seen  on  the  16th — the 
last  time  for  several  months. 

At  night,  by  invitation  of  Captain  Budington,  those 
who  had  lived  in  the  forecastle,  moved  with  their  bedding 
into  the  cabin.  The  eating  was  done  in  the  lower  or 
berth-deck  cabin ;  there  were  two  tables.  At  low  tide  ' 
there  was  an  opportunity  to  examine  the  leak.  The 
whole  stem  was  gone  below  the  six-foot  mark;  one  or  two 
planks,  still  attached,  were  bent  back  on  the  port  side. 
The  captain  was  greatly  surprised  that  the  vessel  did  not 
leak  more,  and  could  only  explain  it  by  the  many  thick 
nesses  of  timbers  in  the  bows,  which  were  solid  for  some 
distance  from  the  stem. 


Esquimaux.  445 

On  the  18th,  no  pack-ice  could  be  seen  to  the  south-     1872. 
ward  and  westward,  the  N.  E.  gale  having  driven  it  away. 
The  day  was  warm  and  pleasant,  although  overcast  and 
foggy ;  a  little  snow  fell  in  the  afternoon. 

The  crew  were  employed  in  taking  things  to  the 
shore,  about  400  yards  distant.  The  two  yards,  the  two 
booms,  the  two  gaffs,  the  two  top-masts  and  their  rig 
ging,  were  taken  down,  and  hauled  to  the  shore;  the  sails, 
having  previously  been  unbent,  were  made  up  ready  for 
transportation.  The  vessel  was  further  secured  by  two 
additional  hawsers.  A  blue  fox  was  seen  near  the  land, 
and  two  ravens  flew  over. 

The  19th  was  a  day  of  calm,  with  a  little  snow.  At 
the  moment  of  going  to  work,  the  sound  of  dogs  was 
heard,  and  it  was  at  once  thought  that  those  of  their  com 
pany  from  whom  they  had  been  separated,  were  return 
ing.  The  excitement  was  intense;  some  looked  out  into 
the  straits,  others  to  the  south,  and  others  toward  the  land, 
in  the  direction  from  which  each  imagined  the  party  was 
coming.  In  a  few  moments,  two  figures  were  seen  on  the 
land,  making  a  loud  outcry;  but,  on  their  approach,  there 
was  great  disappointment  in  finding  that  they  were  only 
Esquimaux. 

They  soon  reached  the  ship  with  their  small  sled,  the 
runners  of  which  were  shod  with  bone,  drawn  by  nine 
dogs.  They  were  dressed  in  dog-skin  jumpers  and  bear- 


446  Polaris  House. 

1872.     skin   trousers.     Captain  Budington,  who  had  had  some 

October. 

experience  with  Esquimaux,  arid  could  make  himself  intel 
ligible,  at  once  addressed  them.  They  managed  to  find 
some  words  in  common,  which,  aided  by  signs,  enabled 
them  to  carry  on  quite  a  conversation.  They  said  they 
were  from  Etah ;  that  they  had  smelt  the  smoke  from 
the  vessel,  and  had  come  over  the  land  to  see  what 
it  was.  They  had  heard  nothing  and  seen  nothing  of 
the  floe-party.  Their  names  were  A-wah'-tok  and  Mi'-ouk. 
They  are  mentioned  in  Kane's  work,  and  after  a  little 
while  they  seemed  to  remember  Morton.  They  ex 
pressed  their  willingness  to  help  in  transporting  articles 
to  the  shore. 

They  were  very  much  surprised  to  see  the  number 
of  seals  hanging  in  the  rigging  and  the  musk-ox  skeletons 
on  the  deck,  and  exhibited  great  wonder  and  interest  upon 
being  shown  the  cat  and  the  live  lemmings- — animals 
which  they  declared  they  had  never  seen  before.  They 
helped  during  the  day  in  landing  stores. 

It  having  been  decided  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  remain  in  the  vessel,  Mr.  Chester,  assisted  by  Booth 
and  Siemens,  began  to  build  a  house  upon  the  shore.  With 
the  yards  and  other  materials,  a  square  frame,  22  by  16  feet, 
was  put  together.  A  corresponding  frame  of  lighter 
stuff  made  the  roof-plates,  and  was  supported  by  planks, 
6i  feet  high,  forming  the  sides  of  the  house.  When  in 


Landing  Stores.  447 

the  afternoon  work  was  stopped,  the  house  was  framed     1872. 

October. 

and  the  four  sides  boarded  up. 

The  Esquimaux  left  the  Polaris  early  on  the  20th, 
promising  to  return  with  some  of  their  tribe  to  assist  further 
in  transporting  to  the  shore  the  contents  of  the  ship.  The 
weather  was  mild  all  day,  making  it  very  pleasant  for 
work,  notwithstanding  a  light  snow  was  falling.  The 
crew  was  again  employed  in  hauling  stores  to  the  shore. 

The  work  on  the  house  progressed  rapidly.  A  ridge 
pole  was  secured  eleven  feet  above  the  floor,  and  rafters  were 
placed  at  convenient  distances.  There  being  no  suitable 
lumber  for  covering  the  roof,  two  sails  were  stretched  over 
the  rafters.  Before  night  the  floor  was  nearly  laid. 

While  at  work  during  the  day,  Dr.  Bessels  twice  fell 
through  cracks  in  the  ice.  Mauch  tried  it  once ;  he 

o 

was  not  very  well  provided  for  such  experiences,  having  ' 
only  one  suit  of  clothes;  it  was  some  time  before  a  change . 
of  raiment  could  be  found  for  him. 

Early  on  the  21st,  six  Esquimaux  came  with  five 
teams  of  dogs.  They  evidently  had  come  to  work,  and 
they  did  work  hard  all  day,  proving  themselves  a  good- 
natured  set  of  fellows,  full  of  fun,  and  ready  at  all  times 
for  a  laugh.  The  crew  loaded  the  sleds  at  the  ship  and 
unloaded  them  on  shore. 

It  was  lively  sport  with  the  teams  hastening  back 
and  forth  from  ship  to  shore,  and  the  loads  they  carried 


448  Moving  into  the  House. 

1 8T2.  were  remarkable.  Four  of  their  dogs  would  trot  off  gaily 
with  a  weight  which  four  of  the  ship's  crew  could  scarcely 
move.  The  difference  in  the  sleds,  however,  must  not  he 
overlooked;  the  Esquimaux  sleds  were  light  and  shod  with 
hone,  slipping  easily  over  the  ice,  while  the  sled  used  by 
the  Polaris  men  was  heavy  and  shod  with  iron.  At  first, 
all  the  smaller  sleds  having  been  left  on  the  ice,  the  large 
sled,  made  by  the  carpenter  the  winter  before  for  trans 
porting  boats,  was  used;  this  sled,  however,  proved  to  be 
unwieldy,  and  was  sawed  in  two,  but  even  the  half  was 
too  heavy. 

The  building  of  the  house  had  advanced  so  rapidly  that 
the  bunks,  in  two  tiers,  six  on  each  side,  were  now  put  up. 
At  the  end  opposite  the  door  were  two  other  bunks,  one  for 
Captain  Budington  and  the  other  for  Mr.  Chester.  Nearly 
all  moved  over  and  slept  in  the  house  that  night.  The  cap 
tain  showed  the  Esquimaux  a  number  of  whaling  harpoons 
and  lances,  telling  them  that  if  they  stayed  and  helped  him 
until  everything  was  out  of  the  ship  he  would  give  them 
many  presents.  They  seemed  pleased,  and  promised  to 
render  good  service.  Captain  Budington  says  in  his  jour 
nal:  "We  have  taken  stock  of  our  ammunition,  and  find 
that  we  can  avail  ourselves  of  about  eight  pounds  of  pow 
der,  which  some  of  the  men  had  stored  away  in  their 
chests  and  powder-flasks.  This  is  all  we  have  on  board, 
the  powder-can  having  been  also  put  off  on  the  ice 


Store-House.  449 

"during   the    fearful    night   of   the    15th;    also   all  our     1872. 

October. 

Sharp's  cartridges,  except  some  open  [loose]  ones  which 
were  found  amongst  the  men's  things.  One  hox  of  mus 
ket-cartridges  we  have,  and  plenty  of  shot  and  lead;  also 
several  shot-guns.  In  fact,  we  are  not  altogether  as  bad 
off  as  we  first  supposed,  and  the  only  thing  that  we  are 
short  of  is  clothing.  This,  if  we  cannot  get  any  game, 
we  may  feel  considerably  before  spring  comes  on." 

On  the  22d,  the  natives  continued  to  assist,  and  a 
great  deal  was  removed  from  the  ship.  The  galley  was 
placed  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  house,  and  the  small 
stove  was  also  taken  over  and  put  up.  The  house  faced  a 
little  to  the  west  of  southwest. 

Articles  could  be  sledded  to  the  house  at  or  about  high 
tide  only.  At  low  tide,  the  ice  of  the  bay  sinking,  there 
was  left  a  huge  crack  between  it  and  the  ice-foot,  which 
it  was  impossible  to  cross  with  a  sled,  and  at  this  crack, 
there  was  a  difference  of  level  of  between  five  and  six 
feet.  But  the  work  was  not  stopped  on  account  of  these 
obstructions;  the  sleds  were  unloaded  near  the  crack. 
Every  one  moved  over  and  slept  in  the  house,  with  the 
exception  of  the  two  engineers  who  still  kept  the  engine 
moving.  Reindeer  tracks  were  now  seen  near  the  ship. 

On  the  23d,  Mr.  Chester  extended  the  house  to 
provide  a  store-room  equally  as  wide,  and  nearly  as 
long;  it  was  built  on  the  southwestern  end,  and  inclosed 

29 


450  The  Polaris  Abandoned. 

1872.     the  galley.     The  door  being  at  the  same  end,  the  store- 
October. 

room  answered  the  purpose  also  ol  an  ante-room,  keeping 

out 'the  weather.  The  two  engineers  came  over  with  the 
cat,  leaving  on  the  Polaris  at  night  only  the  firemen  and 
the  Esquimaux.  Their  work  being  finished,  the  Esqui 
maux  returned  to  their  homes  early  on  the  24th,  having 
received  many  presents.  During  the  day,  the  bunkers 
and  bulkheads  below  deck  were  torn  down,  and  every 
useful  thing  was  carried  to  the  upper  deck.  At  6  p.  m., 
the  pump  was  allowed  to  stop,  and  thus  the  final  act  of 
abandonment  was  executed. 

V 

On  the  25th,  it  was  discovered,  on  examination,  that 
there  were  but  six  tons  of  coal  remaining.  A  great  deal 
of  lumber,  however,  had  been  brought  on  shore,  and  more 
could  be  obtained  from  the  wreck  during  the  winter.  The 
water  had  risen  during  the  night  five  feet  above  the  fire- 
room  floor. 

Mr.  Bryan  with  Mauch  went  hunting ;  they  crosse'd 
to  Littleton  Island,  but  saw  no  game.  Dr.  Bessels  fol 
lowed  them,  with  the  same  ill  success ;  upon  his  return, 
however,  he  shot  a  blue  fox  near  the  house. 

This  day  an  Esquimaux  arrived  at  the  house  with  his 
family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and  two  children,  a  boy  of 
four,  and  a  girl  of  about  two  years  of  age.  They  lived 
at  the  head  of  Foulke  Fiord.  The  captain  at  once  noticed 


A   Tattooed  Esquimaux.  451 

that  the  woman  had  her  face  tattooed,  and  said  that  she 


October. 

must  have  come  from  the  West-land,  as  tattooing  was  a 
custom  which  did  not  obtain  among  the  East-land  natives. 
After  some  conversation,  the  captain  ascertained  that  his 
surmise  was  correct.  A  party  in  an  oomiak  and  live 
kyaks  had  crossed  over,  four  or  five  years  before,  and 
these  were  the  only  survivors.  They  had  introduced  the 
use  of  the  bow  and  arrow.  Kane  and  Hayes  particularly 
mention  that  the  Smith  Sound  natives  did  not  use  that 
weapon.  The  woman  was  very  intelligent  and  readily 
understood  the  captain. 

On  the  26th,  the  water  had  risen  in  the  vessel  to 
within  three  feet  of  the  upper  deck.  A  very  severe  wind 
from  the  N.  E.  sprang  up,  but  was  not  much  felt.  The 
weather  fortunately  had  remained  fine  until  the  party  from 
the  ship  had  become  established,  and  had  made  them 
selves  comfortable  in  their  new  quarters.  They  could  not, 
however,  help  speculating  upon  the  fate  of  their  late  com 
panions,  wondering  if  they  were  exposed  to  this  storm 
with  no  shelter.  The  general  opinion  was  that  Tyson  had 
been  able  to  effect  a  landing  with  his  men,  somewhere  to 
the  south,  and  that  he  would  probably  use  his  dogs,  sleds, 
and  boats  to  travel  up  the  coast  and  rejoin  the  main  party. 

A  large  number  of  Esquimaux,  comprising  the  whole 
population  of  Etah,  consisting  of  nine  men,  three  women, 
and  eight  children,  now  made  their  appearance.  Most  of 


452  An    Exciting   Chase. 

1872.     the  men  had  been  on  hoard  the  vessel  hefore.     They  could 

October.  m  -,    ,  . 

give  no  information  respecting  Tyson  and  his  people,  not 
withstanding  the  many  and  pressing  questions  put  to  them. 
These  natives  brought  some  walrus  meat. 

Mr.  Chester  started  off  on  a  deer-hunt  with  the  West- 
land  native  and  his  family.  Hobby  shot  a  blue  fox  near 
the  house.  The  Esquimaux  attempted  to  pass  the  night 
in  the  ship,  but  when  the  vessel  heeled  over  at  low  tide 
the  women  became  so  frightened  that  they  would  not  stay 
on  board;  the  men  built  a  snow  house,  where  they  all 
passed  the  remainder  of  the  night. 

On  the  27th,  lumber  was  piled  up  near  the  house  for 
winter  use.  Quite  a  stir  was  occasioned  by  the  discovery 
of  a  man  running  on  the  ice  of  the  straits  far  from  land. 
The  twilight  was  too  faint  to  distinguish  objects  clearly ; 
but  he  ran  like  a  white  man.  The  suggestion  that  it  was 
one  of  the  ice-floe  party  led  to  great  excitement.  Several 
started  out  to  run  and  meet  him,  and  others  prepared  to 
run  ;  but  after  some  time  it  was  discovered  that  it  was  an 
Esquimaux,  who  had  gone  out  in  search  of  food  for  his 
dogs.  This  news  was  carried  along  the  line  of  runners, 
and  brought  them  all  back,  except  Morton,  who  wras  out 
of  hearing,  and  continued  on  until  he  reached  the  man. 
The  Esquimaux  from  Etah  were  allowed  to  pass  the  night 
on  the  floor  of  the  house,  presenting  a  motley  but  inter 
esting  group. 


Looking  for  the  Iron  Boat.  453 

In  the  evening,  a  faint  aurora  was  seen.     The  wind     * 87^. 

October. 

on  the  28th,  was  so  strong  that  little  outside  work  could 
be  done.  The  Esquimaux  left  for  their  homes. 

At  9.30  a.  m.  of  the  29th,  Mr.  Chester  returned.  He 
had  been  to  the  hut  of  the  Esquimaux  with  whom  he  went, 
at  the  head  of  Foulke  Fiord,  and  about  one  and  a  half 
miles  from  Brother  John's  Glacier.  He  had  seen  two  rein 
deer,  but  had  not  been  able  to  get  within  rifle-shot.  The 
wind  during  his  absence  had  been  so  strong  that  he  could 
not  venture  far  from  the  igloo.  The  lowest  temperature 
of  the  season,  — 4°,  occurred  to-day. 

On  the  30th,  more  lumber  was  brought  from  the  ves 
sel,  and  the  forge  and  anvil  were  set  up  in  one  corner  of 
the  store-house.  In  the  evening,  Mauch  and  Siemens  each 
shot  a  fox ;  Hobby  shot  three. 

On  the  31st,  Captain  Budington  sent  a  party,  con 
sisting  of  Mr.  Chester,  Dr.  Bessels,  Noah  Hayes,  and  the 
carpenter,  with  pick  and  shovel,  to  McGary  Island  to  look 
for  the  boat  left  there  by  Dr.  Hayes,  and  to  see  if  it  could 
be  used.  They  failed  to  find  any  trace  of  the  boat,  which 
was  probably  hidden  in  the  deep  snow. 

Mr.  Bryan  with  Mauch  and  Siemens  took  a  tramp 
over  the  land  to  the  northeast ;  they  killed  no  game,  and 
saw  only  two  foxes  and  some  deer-tracks. 


454  Hunting   Parties. 

1872.  On  the  1st  of  November,  a  heavy,  dark  cloud  was 

November. 

seen  over  the  straits,  hiding  the  western  land  and  indicat 
ing  open  water.  Two  Esquimaux  families  came  over  from 
Etah ;  they  were  driven  from  home  by  want  of  food, 
having  been  compelled  to  kill  some  of  their  dogs.  Three 
foxes  were  shot  near  the  house. 

The  meteorological  observations  were  recommenced; 
Mauch's  watch  was  from  4  p.  m.  to  midnight,  and  Dr. 
Bessels  observed  for  the  remaining  sixteen  hours. 

On  the  2d,  a  severe  gale  from  the  S.  W.  prevailed, 
with  an  exceedingly  heavy  snow-drift.  The  Esquimaux 
women  were  engaged  in  making  a  few  mittens  and  other 
garments  out  of  skins  that  happened  to  be  on  hand.  On 
the  3d,  Mr.  Chester  and  the  carpenter  started  out  hunting, 
but  were  unsuccessful,  although  one  deer  was  seen.  On 
the  4th,  a  small  building  for  the  transit-instrument  was 
erected  about  thirty  yards  southwest  of  the  house. 

It  began  to  be  disagreeable  to  have  so  many  Esqui 
maux  night  after  night  sleeping  on  the  floor,  and  a  tent 
was  set  up,  made  out  of  a  sail,  in  which  they  passed  the 
night ;  but  they  did  not  like  it.  On  the  5th,  Mr.  Chester 
and  Noah  Hayes  went  up  the  coast  with  one  of  the  natives 
on  a  hunt,  but  saw  no  game.  Hobby  shot  a  fox.  On  the 
6th,  a  white  fox  was  caught  in  a  steel-trap.  The  same 
day,  Mr.  Bryan  and  Schumann  set  out  with  two  of  the 
natives,  with  their  families,  for  Etah,  on  a  hunting  excur- 


Etah.  455 

sion.     As  the  ice  of  the  straits  was  not  firm  enough  to     187S. 

November. 

bear  them,  they  were  obliged  to  cross  the  land.  After 
ascending  a  high  hill,  they  passed  in  a  southeasterly  direc 
tion  across  an  undulating  plain,  and,  entering  a  tortuous 
ravine,  were  led  to  the  shore  of  Foulke  Fiord.  The  land 
was  high  and  steep,  and  its  descent  was  not  effected  with 
out  danger.  Reaching  the  settlement  of  Etah,  they  found 
that  it  consisted  of  three  huts  built  of  stone  and  turf.  The 
two  larger  huts  were  the  joint  property  of  two  families 
which  were  blood-relations.  The  first  was  occupied  by 
A-wah'-tok,  one  of  the  men  who  had  first  visited  the  ves 
sel;  his  wife's  name  was  Ke-shan'-gua,  and  he  had  two 
sons,  mere  lads,  A-ning'-a  and  Kes'-su.  His  daughter, 
Mak-shan'-gua,  was  married  to  Neu-in'-nea,  and  had  a 
young  daughter;  she  lived  with  her  father. 

The  second  hut  was  owned  by  Shu'-kok  and  Im'-me- 
nah,  who  had  married  very  pretty  sisters,  A-nul'-lok  and 
A-ma'-mie.  Shu'-kok,  or,  as  he  was  sometimes  called,  Na- 
nook'-ie,  had  two  bright  little  boys,  Mi'-ak  and  Shu'-loo. 
Im'-me-nah  had  a  girl  and  a  boy,  Nel-le'-ka  and  Koh-ket'- 
sha.  The  third  hut  was  the  property  of  Mi'-ouk,  who 
occupied  it  with  his  wife,  Six'-se-a,  a  young  son,  Ko-lus'- 
suk,  a  little  daughter,  Ma-kip  Vsu,  and  a  baby  boy,  Charley — 
so  named  by  some  of  the  crew.  The  hut  at  the  head  of 
the  fiord  was  inhabited  by  the  West-land  family.  The 
man's  name  was  E-took'-a-jeu,  nicknamed  Jimmy ;  his 


456  Reindeer. 

1872.  wife's,  E-val'-lu;  his  little  boy's,  Pun'-e-pa;  and  his  little 
'  girl's,  Mun'-ning.  Besides  these,  there  were  staying  in  the 
hats  two  young  couples,  E'-nu  and  his  wife,  Mun'-ny,  and 
A'-koo  and  his  wife,  Koosh-oo'-e-tah ;  Ma-jet'-sha,  his  wife, 
A'-ma,  and  daughter,  E-nel'-look,  and  an  old  widow  woman, 
Ka-rush'-uck.  Messrs.  Bryan  and  Schumann  passed  the 
night  in  Shu-kok's  hut,  some  of  his  Esquimaux  friends 
going  into  one  of  the  other  huts  to  make  room  for  them. 
The  next  day,  in  company  with  Shu-kok,  they  went  after 
deer.  They  saw  several,  hut  did  not  succeed  in  getting  a 
shot.  The  following  day  they  returned  to  the  house,  three 
Esquimaux  men,  with  their  teams,  accompanying  them. 

Captain  Budington  says,  in  his  journal  of  the  7th : 
"  Two  natives  left  us  this  morning  early,  before  breakfast, 
carrying  one  of  our  Sharps'  rifles  with  them,  which  one  of 
the  men  had  put  on  the  sled,  intending  to  accompany  it. 
Henry  Hobby  left  us  after  breakfast,  following  the  sledge- 
track  to  Etah,  but  returned  to  the  house  in  the  evening, 
completely  tired  out  from  his  long  tramp.  He  reached 
.Foulke  Fiord  after  the  darkness  had  set  in  already,  but 
there  lost  the  sled-track,  and,  not  being  able  to  find,  the 
huts,  he  hurried  to  get  back  again.  On  this  excursion,  he 
saw  three  deer ;  fired  at  one  of  them  with  a  navy  pistol, 
the  only  weapon  he  had,  and  missed."  In  the  evening, 
Captain  Budington  shot  a  blue  fox ;  and,  on  the  8th, 
Hobby  shot  another.  The  captain  cooked  his,  and  it 


Amusements.  457 

was  highly  relished,  notwithstanding  the  previous  preju-     1872. 

November. 

dice  against  it.  Heretofore,  fox-meat  had  always  been 
given  to  the  natives ;  it  was  now  determined  by  the  ship's 
company  to  keep  it  for  themselves. 

On  the  9th,  Sku-kok  returned  to  Etah.  It  was  a 
severe  day,  the  strong  wind  making  the  traveling  very 
difficult.  Campbell  accompanied  him,  notwithstanding 
the  earnest  remonstrances  of  all  the  others.  In  the  after 
noon,  the  natives  in  the  house  furnished  the  company  a 
good  deal  of  amusement  by  showing  their  tricks,  and  by 
dancing  and  singing,  using  a  tin  pan  as  a  drum.  Jimmy 
was  dressed  up  in  a  white  navy-frock  and  round  hat,  and 
danced  a  regular  break- down  to  the  music  of  Mr.  Chester's 
violin.  Every  one  was  convulsed  with  laughter. 

Two  natives,  A-wah-tok  and  his  son-in-law,  Neu-in- 
nea,  came  from  Etah,  traveling  for  the  first  time  on  the 
ice.  They  went  out,  the  next  day,  walrus-hunting,  to  the 
edge  of  the  floe  which  was  not  more  than  a  mile  off,  and 
brought  back  part  of  a  large  walrus  on  a  sled;  the 
remainder  they  afterward  carried  home  to  Etah.  A  blue 
fox  was  also  killed. 

The  crew  did  not  fail  to  remember  that  at  home  it 
was  the  day  for  the  election  of  President;  they  polled 
their  votes  accordingly,  all  being  allowed  to  vote  except 
Dr.  Bessels,  who  had  not  been  naturalized. 

On  the.  1 3th,  there  was  a  very  severe  storm  from  the 


458  An  Igloo  Built. 

1872.     g.  W.,  accompanied  by  a  blinding  snow-drift,  which   did 

November. 

not  add  to  the  comfort  of  those  who  were  obliged  to  be 
abroad ;  yet  E-took-a-jeu  and  family  came  from  Etah, 
without  seeming  to  mind  the  weather.  A  blue  fox  was 
killed  during  the  day.  A  good  deal  of  moisture  condensed 
and  froze  on  the  canvas  covering  of  the  house,  and  when 
the  outside  temperature  rose,  or  there  was  a  hotter  fire 
than  usual  in  the  stove,  it  dripped  down  into  the  berths 
and  on  the  table.  To  remedy  this,  the  carpenter  tacked 
boards  up,  so  as  to  receive  and  turn  off  the  water. 

The  Esquimaux  now  began  to  pass  back  and  forth 
between  their  settlements  and  the  house  so  frequently  that 
it  would  be  tedious  to  give  a  record  of  their  movements. 
The  West-land  family  built  a  snow  house  near  the  ship, 
with  the  intention  of  remaining  with  their  new  friends 
all  winter. 

On  the  14th,  though  it  was  cloudy,  no  difficulty  was 
experienced  in  reading  the  smallest  type.  Mr.  Chester 
was  busy  copying  his  log  into  a  smaller  book,  which  would 
be  more  easily  carried,  while  the  original  might  be  cached 
near  the  house. 

On  the  19th,  a  snow  wall  was  built  over  the  door  to 
protect  it  from  drift.  Hobby  shot  two  foxes  on  this  day. 
and  one  on  the  day  previous. 

Mauch  and  Siemens,  on  the  21st,  went  to  Littleton 
Island,  in  pursuit  of  reindeer,  but  found  none.  Diamond 


Rye  used  for    Coffee.  459 

type  could  still  be  read  at  noon.     The  natives  continued     1872. 

December. 

to  come  and  go  in  great  numbers. 

On  the  25th,  Nanookie,  with  Jim's  assistance,  finished 
an  igloo  for  his  family,  on  a  snow  bank  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  S.  E.  of  the  house. 

On  the  27th,  more  natives  arrived  from  Etah.  They 
had  been  suffering  from  want  of  food. 

On  the  30th,  the  barometer  rose  to  30in.6.  The 
highest  temperature  for  the  month  had  been  19°.8,  Fah 
renheit;  the  lowest,  — 17°.l ;  and  the  mean,  about  1°.9. 


The  supply  of  coffee  being  exhausted,  rye  was  used 
in  its  place.  Miouk  arrived  from  Etah,  with  a  sad  story 
of  the  wants  of  the  people  there;  some  had  already  moved 
south  to  better  hunting-grounds,  and  others  intended  to 
follow. 

The  strait  continued  open,  a  dense  water-cloud  hang 
ing  over  it.  On  the  3d,  the  open  water  was  not  more 
than  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  ship.  The  noise 
made  by  the  crashing  and  grinding  of  the  ice  was  loud 
and  long-continued.  The  crew  rejoiced  that  they  were 
not  exposed  to  the  perils  of  the  floating  pack.  The  even 
ing  before,  a  faint  aurora  had  been  seen. 

The  Esquimaux  endeavored  to  go  south,  but  were 
unable  to  get  round  Cape  Alexander,  on  account  of  the 


460  Discipline  Maintained. 

1872.     open  water.     Neuinnea  built  an  igloo,  and  occupied  it 

December. 

with  his  family.  During  the  next  few  days,  twenty-one 
Esquimaux  remained  at  Polaris  house,  some  sleeping 
in  igloos,  but  most  of  them  staying  in  the  house. 

On  the  7th,  a  serious  violation  of  discipline  occurred — 
the  only  one  during  the  voyage.  An  engineer  and  a  sea 
man  quarreled  about  the  possession  of  a  shelf,  and  made 
use  of  threatening  language  and  gestures.  Captain  Bud- 
ington,  by  a  prompt  and  efficient  exercise  of  his  authority, 
restored  order. 

On  the  12th,  Hobby  shot  a  fox  near  the  house ; 
many  more  of  these  animals  would  have  been  killed  but 
for  the  presence  of  their  enemies,  the  Esquimaux  dogs. 
On  the  13th,  five  families  of  Esquimaux  were  living  in 
igloos  near  the  house,  and  taking  two  meals  daily  with 
their  white  friends.  They  comprised  five  men,  five 
women,  and  seven  children.  In  addition  to  these,  there 
were  always  two  or  three  casual  visitors.  On  the  14th, 
Sip'-su  and  his  wife,  A-man'-a-me'-lia,  came  from  the  south — 
from  Northumberland  Island,  as  nearly  as  could  be  ascer 
tained — to  tell  their  Etah  brethren  that  there  was  good 
hunting  below,  and  that  the  Esquimaux  there  had  an 
abundance  of  walrus  and  seal-meat.  Captain  Budington 
inquired  diligently  of  Sipsu  for  some  tidings  of  the  ice 
floe  party.  If  they  had  succeeded  in  landing  on  the 
coast,  these  natives  would  doubtless  have  seen  them. 


Mid-  Winter    T-wiUght.  461 

To  hear  nothing  of  them  was  a  great  disappointment,     1872. 
and  no  very  strong  hope  of  their  safety  could  now  be 
entertained. 

On  both  the  20th  and  the  21st,  the  height  of  the  twi 
light  arch  was  measured  by  Colby's  horizon-instrument. 
No  very  decided  results  could  be  obtained,  as  it  was 
extremely  difficult  to  tell  exactly  where  to  point  the 
instrument.  Many  measurements  were  made  by  different 
persons,  the  results  varying  from  8°  to  10°.  Some  very 
coarse  print  was  read  on  the  21st. 

Budington  says  in  his  journal :  "  There  is  a  consider 
able  difference  with  us  between  midwinter  of  this  year 
and  the  last.  In  Polaris  Bay,  we  only  saw  a  small  por 
tion  of  the  twilight  arch  for  two  hours,  while  here  we  see 
the  twilight  for  six  hours  The  arrival  of  this  day  when 
the  sun  will  gradually  return  to  us,  we  have  expected 
with  great  impatience.  Although  the  health  of  our  com 
pany  is  the  very  best,  and  will,  I  trust  to  the  Almighty, 
remain  so,  the  uncertainty  about  the  fate  of  our  comrades 
on  the  ice  throws  a  gloom  over  our  party  which  cannot 
be  entirely  banished.  The  fact  that  we  did  not  hear  of 
them  through  the  natives  makes  me  believe  that  they 
remained  on  the  floe.  I  can  only  hope  they  saved  enough 
provisions  to  pass  the  winter." 

Miouk  made  many  trips  to  the  house  to  beg  bread 
and  blubber ;  his  family  remained  at  Etah  in  a  starving 


462  Daily  Routine. 

1872.     condition;  he  was  compelled  to  kill   four  fine  dogs  to 

December. 

supply  their  wants. 

Mr.  Bryan  says  in  his  journal  of  the  24th:  "  'Tis 
Christmas-eve,  and  we  are  all  thinking  of  our  homes,  but 
none,  apparently,  home-sick.  There  are  but  three  fami 
lies,  comprising  ten  persons,  staying  with  us  at  present. 
We  are  constantly  having  visitors.  I  took  quite  a  long 
walk  with  Mr.  Chester  to-day.  It  has  been  very  mild 
indeed.  There  is  a  vast  difference  in  the  intensity  of  the 
twilight  here  and  at  Thank- God  Harbor  at  the  same  sea 
son  of  the  year.  We  could  see  very  well  to-day  to  pick 
our  way  over  hummocks  and  cracks.  We  are  jogging 
along  slowly,  exceedingly  glad  that  the  turning-point  of  the 
winter  has  passed,  and  looking  hopefully  forward  to  our 
spring  work ;  suffering,  however,  daily  from  anxiety  as  to 
the  fate  of  our  comrades.  We  always  hope  for  the  best, 
but  we  have  little  grounds  for  thinking  that  they  are 
safe." 

The  domestic  life  in  Polaris  house  was  simple  enough ; 
each  day  was  an  almost  exact  counterpart  of  the  preced 
ing.  Breakfast  was  taken  at  9  a.  m.,  before  which  hour 
few  got  up.  Two  successive  tables  were  set,  there  not 
being  room  enough  to  seat  the  whole  at  one  time.  The 
morning  was  employed  in  observations,  in  cleaning  fire 
arms,  in  writing  journals,  or  in  ordinary  occupations.  Mr. 
Chester  was  for  some  time  engaged  in  making  different 


Powder  Explosion.  463 

articles  from  the  ivory  of  the  walrus.     Dinner  was  served     1872. 

December. 

at  three  p.  m. ;  there  was  no  regular  supper.  (Jness, 
checkers,  dominoes,  and  cards  constituted  the  principal 
amusements.  Ten  was  the  hour  for  turning  in.  During 
the  day,  the  cat  was  very  shy,  and  kept  herself  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  in  the  captain's  bunk ;  at  night,  she  came 
out  and  frolicked  through  the  house. 

Captain  Budington  took  every  opportunity  to  gather 
information  from  the  natives,  who  became  more  communi 
cative  when  better  acquainted.  E-vai'-lu  seemed  to  possess 
the  best  faculty  of  making  herself  understood ;  her  hus 
band  looked  at  her  with  admiration  while  she  was  talk 
ing.  Through  her,  the  captain  learned  some  particulars 
of  that  company  from  the  West-land,  of  which  she  and 
her  husband  were  a  part.  Her  story  was  that  they  had 
crossed  over  to  the  spot  where  Hayes  had  left  his  iron 
boat,  which  they  found  stove  and  useless ;  they  took  up 
everything,  including  the  oars,  and  then  passed  over  to  the 
mainland,  where  they  found  Dr.  Hayes'  observatory. 
They  stayed  about  there  several  days  examining  the 
strange  things  which  they  discovered.  While  sleeping 
in  the  house  one  night,  they  dropped  some  fire  into  a 
powder-cask  and  were  blown  up ;  four  or  five  of  them 
being  killed,  among  them  Jim's  father.  The  survivors 
of  the  disaster  returned  to  their  native  land,  leaving 
E-took-a-jeu. 


464 

1872. 

December. 


Temperature. 

The  steward,  Booth,  was  laid  up  on  the  31st,  with 
swollen  wrists  and  ankles,  and  showed  every  sign  of  the 
scurvy. 

The  highest  temperature  during  December  was  15°.0 
Fahr.;  the  lowest, — 27°.5  Fahr.;  while  the  mean  was 
about  — 8°.5  Fahr. 


XIX 


30 


CHATTER    XIX. 


The  twilight  had  now  so  much  increased  that  on  the  1873. 
1st,  the  noon  observation  was  made  without  artificial  light. 
The  straits  continued  open,  and,  on  the  3<j,  the  noise  from 
the  grinding  ice  resembled  continued  thunder.  The  coal 
diminished  rapidly,  and  it  was  necessary  to  economize ; 
the  captain  ordered  the  fire  in  the  little  stove  to  be  put 
out  at  9  p.  m.  This  obliged  Dr.  Bessels  to  make  his  ob 
servations  from  midnight  to  6  a.  m.  in  the  cold ;  his 
enthusiasm  supplied  sufficient  heat.  This  practice  of  doing 
without  the  fire  was,  however,  continued  only  for  a  few 
nights.  As  an  additional  saving,  the  captain  determined 
to  dispense  with  the  galley-stove,  and  to  cook  only  one 
meal  a  day,  and  that  upon  the  small  stove,  but  this  piece  of 
economy  was  necessarily  abandoned,  on  account  of  the 
galley-pots  not  fitting  on  the  small  stove. 

On  the  llth,  a  party  of  eight  men,  two  women,  and 
one  child,  drawn  by  six  teams  of  dogs,  arrived  at  the 
house  from  some  settlement  near  Northumberland  Island. 


% 

468  Wood  from  the  Ship. 

1873.     The  people  were  in  good  condition,  and  had  forty  or  fifty 

January.  ., 

very  fine  dogs.  Prominent  among  them  was  Ka-lu-ti  -nah, 
mentioned  by  Dr.  Hayes.  They  were  also  accompanied 
by  an  old  woman,  At-koot'-ta,  or  Nu-li-a-jesh'-shu,  the 
widow  of  Metek,  one  of  Dr.  Kane's  visitors ;  she  seemed 
after  a  w-hile  to  recognize  Mr.  Morton.  On  the  12th,  the 
thermometer  fell  as  low  as  — 41°.5.  On  the  20th,  non 
pareil  type  could  be  read  at  noon.  This  day  the  coal  gave 
out,  and  the  wood  which  had  been  stored  in  the  autumn 
about  the  house,  was  used  in  its  stead.  A  raven  was  seen 
flying  near,  and,  as  one  had  been  seen  late  in  November, 
it  was  supposed  the  bird  had  spent  the  winter  in  the 
neighborhood.  The  straits  still  continued  open,  and  the 
grinding  of  the  ice  occasionally  made  fearful  noises. 

On  the  22d,  the  edge  of  the  floe  was  not  more  than 
two  miles  off.  The  natives  went  out  several  times  to  hunt 
for  walrus,  but  were  unsuccessful.  A  fox  was  killed  near 
the  house ;  Dr.  Bessels  and  Hobby  both  fired  at  it,  and, 
some  time  afterward,  Miouk  found  it  dead ;  but  the  cause 
of  its  death  always  remained  a  mooted  question. 

On  the  24th  and  the  26th,  the  instruments  indicated 
a  temperature  below  the  freezing-point  of  mercury,  but 
the  mercury,  though  exposed,  did  not  freeze. 

On  the  27th,  all  the  wood  that  could  be  found  near 
the  house  having  been  used,  it  was  necessary  to  go  over 
to  the  ship.  Great  care  was  observed  to  leave  untouched 


The  Polaris  Well  Built.  469 

that  part  of  the  vessel  from  which  wood  for  the  boats  was     1873. 

February. 

to  be  taken.  Since  the  iron  boat  of  Dr.  Hayes  could  not 
be  found,  the  sole  dependence  of  the  partjr  rested  on  boats 
of  its  own  construction.  Every  nail  and  screw  now  found 
was  carefully  preserved,  there  being  none  in  store.  The 
Polaris  had  been  so  faithfully  built  that  it  was  no  easy 
task  to  break  her  up.  It  was  necessary  to  reduce  the 
wood  to  splinters  to  take  it  off.  In  carrying  this  wood  to 
the  house  on  the  29th,  it  was  found  that  the  high  tide  had 
overflowed  the  ice  and  raised  the  water  up  to  within 
twelve  paces  of  the  door.  The  effect  of  a  residence  of  two 
winters  in  the  Arctic  regions  was  now  apparent  in  the 
diminished  strength  of  the  people,  who  were  easily  fa 
tigued  by  slight  labor. 

During  January,  the  highest  temperature  recorded 
was  — 8°.5;  the  lowest  was  — 41°,6;  while  the  mean  was 
— 27°.8. 

The  whole  of  the  second  day  was  occupied  in  tear 
ing  down  the  wheel-house;  on  the  next  day,  the  wood  was 
taken  to  the  house,  making  fuel  enough  for  two  days.  The 
heavy  northerly  gales  had  kept  the  ice  in  motion,  and  con 
stantly  increased  the  extent  of  the  open  water.  The  edge 
of  the  floe  was  not  more  than  a  mile  distant  from  the  ves 
sel,  and  the  west  side  of  McGary's  Island  was  washed  by 
the  sea. 

The  walrus  liver  last  brought  by  the  Esquimaux  and 


470  A  Window  Placed  in  the  House. 

1873.     eaten  by  the  ship's  company,  produced  a  dysenteric  effect, 

February- 

but,  at  the  same  time,  removed  sore  and  diseased  gums 
and  all  the  other  symptoms  of  scurvy  with  which  many 
of  them  had  been  troubled. 

On  the  5th,  Mauch  shot  a  white  fox  found  running 
over  the  vessel ;  two  ravens  were  seen. 

On  the  Gth,  at  meridian,  a  distinct  orange  color  was 
discernible  over  the  mountain-tops  toward  the  south. 

On  the  7th,  the  bowsprit  was  sawed  off  and  taken  to 
the  house  for  fuel.  One  solitary  raven  was  noticed  mak 
ing  daily  visits  to  the  house.  A  window  was  placed  in 
the  roof  of  the  building,  and  during  several  hours  of  the 
day  the  oil-lamps  could  be  dispensed  with.  Mauch  and 
Hayes  took  a  tramp  over  the  plain  to  the  east,  skirting 
the  mountain-range,  and  seeing  fresh  tracks  of  three 
ptarmigans. 

On  the  9th,  a  S.  W.  gale  completely  filled  up  the 
straits  with  ice,  and  for  the  first  time  the  western  coast 
was  visible ;  every  day  since  the  middle  of  October,  the 
time  of  landing,  it  had  been  obscured  by  the  water-cloud. 
The  next  day,  however,  a  N.  E.  gale  again  cleared  out  the 
ice,  and  the  water-cloud  resumed  its  place.  All  the  natives 
left  for  their  southern  hunting-grounds  during  the  latter 
part  of  January,  except  Jim  and  his  family,  who  proved 
to  be  very  useful.  In  severe  weather,  Jim  always  pro 
cured  the  ice,  and  in  many  other  ways  rendered  good 


Tcazing  the  Esquimaux.  471 

service.     His  wife,  Evallo,  did  a  good  deal  of  sewing,  and     1873. 

February. 

made  many  garments  out  of  skins.  Their  little  children 
were  continual  sources  of  amusement,  and  many  pleasant 
hours  were  spent  in  playing  with  them.  The  little  girl 
was  a  general  pet,  making  many  friends  hy  her  pretty 
face  and  affectionate  disposition.  Some  of  the  crew  took 
pleasure  in  teazing  the  Esquimaux,  and  did  not  recognize 
in  them  a  common  companionship ;  but,  at  the  same  time, 
the  natives  were  good-natured,  and  made  themselves  use 
ful  and  agreeable  to  those  who  treated  them  with  kindness. 

On  the  17th,  the  tops  of  the  mountains  to  the  N.  E. 
were  illuminated  by  the  sun's  rays.  For  several  days,  the 
storms  had  been  so  severe  that  it  was  not  safe  to  venture 
on  board  the  vessel  after  wood.  The  forecastle-hatch, 
which  had  been  set  up  on  shore  for  the  use  of  the  transit- 
instrument,  was,  therefore,  taken  down  and  converted  into 
fuel. 

On  the  20th,  Shu-kok  and  Im-me-nah,  with  two  new 
natives,  arrived  from  the  south,  bringing  a  large  quantity 
of  walrus  meat,  which  was  highly  relished.  The  same 
day,  the  foremast  was  sawed  through  near  the  deck,  and 
used  for  fuel.  The  barometer,  which  had  been  very  high 
all  day,  toward  evening  rose  above  31  inches.  The  atmos 
phere  was  clear,  and  there  was  no  wind;  the  temperature 
went  down  to  — 43°  Fahrenheit.  Mercury  remained  in  a 
solid  state  for  ten  hours. 


472  Open  Water. 

1873.  Qn  the  21st,  another  window  was  put  in,  on  the  other 

February. 

side  of  the  roof.  A  native  came  on  the  22d,  and  another 
on  the  23d,  hoth  bringing  with  them  some  portions  of  a 
walrus  liver,  which  is  the  choice  part  of  the  animal ;  this 
attention  was  fully  appreciated. 

On  the  25th,  a  window  was  placed  in  the  store-room, 
and  the  sawing  of  the  wood  was  done  under  shelter.  The 
open  water  could  be  seen  about  two  miles  from  the  vessel. 
The  water-cloud  continued,  however,  to  shut  out  all  view 
of  Ellesmere  Land.  On  the  27th,  the  sun  was  seen  from 
the  deck  of  the  vessel.  Dr.  Bessels  shot  a  blue  fox.  On 
the  next  day,  Jim  and  Awah-tah  came  from  Etah.  Jim 
had  been  there  hunting  for  two  or  three  days,  and  had 
evidently  been  very  successful;  he  brought  back  some 
walrus  meat,  and  a  large  piece  of  liver,  which  he  gener 
ously  gave  to  Captain  Budington. 

Mr.  Chester,  assisted  by  Booth  and  Coffin,  com 
menced  the  selection  of  wood  for  the  construction  of  the 
boats.  He  had  already  settled  in  his  mind  the  plan  of 
construction,  and  now  entered  on  his  work  as  deliberately 
as  if  he  were  in  a  ship-yard. 

The  parts  of  the  Polaris  which  furnished  the  material 
for  the  work  were  the  provision-lockers  and  the  ceiling  of 
the  main  cabin. 

During  the  month,  the  gales  were  very  severe,  and 
were  usually  attended  with  snow-drift.  The  northerly 


A  Bear  Hunt.  473 

winds  brought  cold  weather,  and  the  mercury  always  rose     1873. 

March. 

with  southerly  winds.  The  highest  temperature  was 
2°.6  ;  the  lowest,  — 49°.l ;  while  the  mean  was  —  26°.7. 

On  the  1st  of  this  month,  a  very  heavy  gale  so 
blocked  up  the  entrance  to  the  house,  that  Jim  had  to  dig 
a  passage  through  the  drift  before  he  could  get  in.  The 
sun  was  seen  over  the  mountain-tops  from  the  house  on 
the  2d.  Early  in  the  morning,  Awah-tah  saw  a  bear  not 
far  from  the  vessel,  and  started  in  pursuit,  He  had  with 
him  his  sled,  drawn  by  a  train  of  dogs,  and,  for  a  weapon, 
a  spear  four  feet  in  length.  He  remained  out  all  night, 
and,  late  on  the  3d,  returned  with  the  bear's  carcass  on 
his  sled.  During  his  absence,  it  was  bitterly  cold,  with  a 
severe  gale  from  the  N.  E.,  but  he  seemed  to  care  as 
little  for  the  cold  as  he  did  for  his  solitary  fight  with  the 
bear.  When  the  old  man  took  off  his  jacket  to  dry  it,  his 
back,  marked  with  the  scars  of  what  appeared  to  be 
frightful  wounds,  showed  that  he  had  previously  had  fights 
with  the  same  enemy.  Notwithstanding  these  wounds 
and  his  advanced  age,  Awah-tah  could  still  throw  a  spear 
further  and  with  truer  aim  than  any  other  man  of  his  tribe. 

Four  Esquimaux  came  from  the  south,  paid  a  short 
visit,  and  returned  on  the  4th.  Up  to  this  date,  there  had 
been  fifty-one  different  Esquimaux  at  Polaris  House. 
On  the  6th,  the  water-cloud  disappeared  for  a  short  time, 
giving  a  second  view  of  the  western  coast.  On  the  8th 


474  Buying  Dogs. 

1873.     and  9th,  eight  natives  arrived,  bringing  walrus  meat  and 

march. 

liver ;  many  of  them  were  moving  toward  the  north  to 
hunt  bears.  On  the  llth,  Siemens  and  Mauch,  walking 
over  the  plain  to  the  east,  saw  a  hare.  On  the  12th, 
twilight  lasted  all  through  the  night. 

Dr.  Bessels  having  expressed  a  desire  to  make  a  sledge- 
journey  to  Humboldt  Glacier,  Captain  Budington  bought 
dogs  of  the  natives,  obtaining  for  that  purpose,  by  much 
persuasion  and  high  prices,  ten  very  fine  animals. 

Among  those  who  came  to  the  house  was  a  man 

o 

with  a  wooden  leg,  named  Ar-row'-tah.  His  story  was 
that,  when  quite  a  boy,  he  was  out  hunting  birds  on  a  hill, 
and  was  seriously  injured  by  a  stone  rolling  on  his  foot. 
His  mother  cut  off  his  leg  about  six  inches  belowr  the 
knee.  The  surgeon  of  the  North  Star  (1849-'50)  made  a 
wooden  leg  for  him,  which  was  repaired  and  renewed  by 
Dr.  Hayes.  The  one  he  now  had  was  fitted  with  an 
ankle-joint  of  his  owrn  manufacture. 

Siemens  says  .in  his  journal :  — 

"  In  the  morning  (13th)  we  saw  two  parhelia,  and,  in 
the  evening,  a  cross  over  the  moon.  The  paraselense  which 
we  saw  had  prismatic  colors.  Bright  rays  went  from  the 
real  moon  to  the  mock  moons,  of  which  we  could  see  but 
three,  the  moon  being  but  a  few  degrees  above  the  sum 
mit  of  the  mountains.  These  mock  moons  were  in  a 
beautiful  circle  surrounding  the  moon." 


Pendulum  Observations.  475 

On  the  15th,  Campbell  went  with  Jim  to  a  place     1873. 

march. 

called  by  the  natives  Etah-Wa-tan'-ny ;  he  returned  on  the 
18th,  much  pleased  with  the  hospitality  he  had  received. 
This  settlement  was  a  little  below  Sutherland  Island,  and 
is  marked  on  the  map  as  Sor-falik.  The  open  water  now 
washed  the  base  of  Cape  Alexander,  so  that  in  their  jour 
ney  they  were  obliged  to  mount  and  cross  the  glacier  that 
discharges  on  each  side. 

The  Esquimaux  still  continued  to  come  and  go, 
spending  sometimes  one  day,  and  sometimes  several,  at 
the  house.  On  the  24th,  the  number  of  Esquimaux  visit 
ing  the  house  had  increased  to  seventy-seven.  On  the 
night  of  the  30th,  there  were  twenty-three  Esquimaux 
sleeping  on  the  floor  of  the  house  ;  their  want  of  cleanli 
ness  made  this  a  trying  infliction  on  the  good  nature  of  the 
men.  Additional  snow-houses  were  built  for  those  who  de 
termined  to  remain  for  some  time  near  their  white  friends. 

Dr.  Bessels  and  Mr.  Bryan  had  been  engaged  for 
eight  successive  nights  in  making  pendulum-observations. 
In  order  to  be  as  quiet  as  possible,  they  selected  the  hours 
from  1  to  5  a.  m. 

On  the  26th,  Hobby  and  Booth  went  with  some 
natives  to  Etah-Watanny  to  hunt  deer.  By  this  time, 
Mr.  Chester  had  finished  getting  boat-lumber  from  the 
ship ;  all  the  material  he  needed  was  carried  over,  and 
neatly  piled  up  not  far  from  the  house. 


476  The  Whalers. 

1873.  Some   of  the   younger   members   of  the   company 

April. 

made  a  base-ball  and  some  bats,  and  amused  themselves 
near  the  house  playing  ball.  The  ball-ground  was  the 
smooth  ice  of  the  bay,  on  the  east  side  of  the  penin 
sula  on  which  the  house  stood.  The  Esquimaux  were 
very  much  interested  in  the  play,  but  could  not  learn 
to  catch.  On  the  29th,  Hobby  and  Booth  returned, 
having  met  with  no  success  in  hunting,  but  having  en 
joyed  their  visit  among  the  Esquimaux  very  much.  Dr. 
Bessels  was  engrossed  in  making  preparations  for  his 
sledge-journey. 

The  highest  temperature  during  March  was  — 4°.4 ; 
the  lowest,  — 47°.0;  wrhile  the  mean  was  — 26°.3. 

Nearly  every  day,  the  crew  were  now  engaged  either 
in  ripping  off  wood  from  the  vessel,  carrying  it  to  the 
shore,  or  preparing  it  for  the  stoves. 

Some  of  the  Esquimaux  informed  the  captain  that 
each  year  ships  were  seen  near  Cape  York,  and  that  very 
frequently  they  communicated  with  them;  adding  that 
last  year  some  men  of  the  crews  landed.  On  the  4th, 
Mr.  Chester  built  a  work-bench  near  the  house.  Dr.  Bes 
sels  was  superintending  the  preparation  of  provisions  for 
his  sledge-journey;  he  packed,  among  other  things,  50 
pounds  of  pork,  100  pounds  of  bread,  and  2  gallons  of 
molasses.  On  the  6th,  Jim  who  had  been  sent  to  Cape 
York,  and  had  been  gone  eleven  days,  returned  with  but 


Umingmung  Island.  477 

one  deer-skin.     He  brought,  however,  some  walrus  meat     1873. 

April. 

and  liver,  which  was  gratefully  received. 

On  the  7th,  the  sun  was  above  the  horizon  at  9  p.  m. 
The  southwest  gale  prevailing  during  the  7th  and  the  8th 
brought  back  the  ice  into  the  straits ;  the  water- cloud  dis 
appeared,  and  the  western  coast  was  again  seen. 

Early  on  the  8th,  Mr.  Chester  started  with  Shu-kok 
on  a  deer-hunt.  He  went  provisioned  for  one  week,  in 
tending  to  live  in  a  snow-house.  In  a  conversation  with 
Jim,  Captain  Budington  ascertained  that  there  were  many 
Esquimaux  living  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cape  Isabella 
and  all  along  the  coast  of  Ellesmere  Land.  Jim  said  that 
his  father-in-law  lived  there,  and  that,  in  winter-time,  they 
frequently  commimicated  with  each  other,  crossing  the 
straits  on  the  ice.  He  also  said  that  the  land  was  an  isl 
and,  and  that  he  himself  had  frequently  gone  all  around 
it;  that  the  Esquimaux  called  it  Umingmung  Island,  from 
the  number  of  musk-cattle  which  are  found  upon  it.  From 
this  conversation,  it  was  inferred  that  United  States  or 
Hayes  Sound  must  turn  to  the  southward  and  unite  with 
Jones  Sound  to  form  an  island. 

It  was  also  thought  highly  probable  that  the  Musk-ox 
Island  of  which  McOlintock  speaks  was,  in  fact,  Ellesmere 
Land. 

On  the  10th,  Shu-kok  returned,  bringing  two  hares 
which  Mr.  Chester  had  killed.  Tracks  of  deer  had  been 


478  A  Deer  Killed. 

• 

1873.     seen.     Shu-kok  left  the  next  morning  to  return  to  Mr. 

April. 

Chester. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  llth,  there  was  great 
disappointment  at  finding  that  the  two  hares  had  disap 
peared.  The  natives  who  slept  all  night  in  the  house,  very 
innocently  said  that  they  had  eaten  them  raw,  and  that 
they  were  very  good — "Am-a-su-ad'-ly  pe-yuke"  Dur 
ing  the  day,  the  thermometer  rose  for  the  first  time  above 
zero,  reaching  5°.  8.  The  crew  was  now  employed  in 
getting  wood  from  the  ship  and  in  preparing  portable  hags 
in  which  to  pack  the  provisions  for  the  boats;  each  bag 
held  about  25  pounds. 

Mr.  Bryan  went  with  Kow-ket'-shu  to  make  Mr. 
Chester  a  visit,  and  on  his  way  met  Shu-kok  returning 
with  part  of  a  deer  which  Mr.  Chester  had  shot.  He 
found  Mr.  Chester  in  a  snow-house  a  little  to  the  south 
of  Port  Foulke.  After  hunting  over  the  plains  some  time 
without  seeing  any  deer,  he  killed  a  rabbit  and  returned 
to  the  house. 

On  the  13th,  natives  came  from  the  south,  and  re 
ported  the  death  of  Sipsu,  who,  with  his  wife,  A-man'-a 
me'-lia,  and  two  sons,  had  visited  the  Americans  during  the 
latter  part  of  March.  He  was  said  to  have  died  of  some 
affection  of  the  chest. 

At  10  a.  m.  of  the  13th,  Dr.  Bessels  started  on  his 
sledge-journey,  with  the  purpose  of  reaching  Humboldt 


The  Midnight  Sun.  479 

Glacier,  if  possible,  and,  after  examining  that,  of  crossing     1873. 

April. 

Smith  Sound  and  exploring  United  States  or  Hayes  Sound. 
He  took  with  him  Jim  and  the  wooden-legged  man,  Ar- 
row'-tah,  who  understood  that  the  doctor  wished  to  go  to 
the  western  coast,  to  which  he  himself  had  long  contem 
plated  a  trip  in  search  of  a  wife.  He  had  been  a  widower 
long  enough ;  and,  among  the  women  on  the  east  side,  there 
was  no  one  that  exactly  suited  him.  They  started  with 
two  very  heavily-laden  sleds,  provisioned  for  one  and  a 
half  months,  and  well  supplied  with  all  necessary  instru 
ments. 

At  6  p.  m.  of  the  15th,  Mr.  Chester  returned  from 
the  south,  having  met  with  no  further  success  in  his  hunt 
for  reindeer.  On  the  night  of  the  16th,  the  sun  disap 
peared  at  11.30  p.  m.,  but  was  only  hidden  one  hour; 
and  on  the  night  of  the  17th  it  was  above  the  horizon  at 
midnight. 

At  2  a.  m.  of  the  18th,  Dr.  Bessels  returned  on 
account  of  difficulties  with  his  drivers,  who  had  refused 
to  proceed.  Arrowtah  had  been  insubordinate.  Dr.  Bes 
sels  had  followed  up  the  coast,  and,  in  order  to  get  around 
the  open  water,  was  obliged  to  go  on  as  far  east  as  the 
meridian  of  Eensselaer  Harbor.  This  was  unexpected, 
since  the  position  and  the  extent  of  the  water-cloud  had 
encouraged  the  expectation  that  the  open  water  would  be 
further  from  the  coast.  After  getting  round  the  open 


480  Sledge-journey. 

1873.     water,  he  continued  north  as  far  as  the  observed  latitude 

April. 

of  79°  16'.  At  this  point,  a  line  of  hummocks  was 
encountered,  which  the  natives  refused  to  cross.  He  then 
turned  to  the  northwest,  traveling  in  that  direction  until 
he  arrived  at  the  western  coast,  at  a  point  midway  between 
Henry  and  Bache  Islands.  Here,  also,  he  met  hummocks, 
which  the  Esquimaux  again  refused  to  attempt.  He  then 
ran  down  the  coast  to  the  southward,  looking  for  an  open 
ing  in  the  line  of  hummocks,  until  he  reached  the  mouth 
of  Baird  Inlet.  Still  finding  no  passage,  and  his  Esqui 
maux  continuing  troublesome,  he  determined  to  return 
and  get  another  man  to  take  Arrowtah's  place.  He  was 
compelled  to  retrace  his  steps  to  Eensselaer  Harbor  in 
order  to  get  around  the  open  water  again.  The  hardship 
of  accomplishing  such  a  distance  will  be  fully  appreciated 
when  it  is  told  that  the  first  night  was  spent  in  a  snow-hut 
on  the  ice  near  Cairn  Point,  and  that  during  a  whole  day 
he  was  prevented  from  traveling  by  a  heavy  storm.  Jim 
was  willing  to  make  another  attempt,  but  Arrow  tab  posi 
tively  refused,  and  the  doctor  would  under  no  circumstances 
consent  to  trust  himself  with  him  a  second  time. 

Not  discouraged,  he  determined  to  make  a  second 
attempt;  and  accordingly,  on  the  19th,  started  south  to 
find  an  Esquimaux  to  go  with  him,  and  also  to  obtain 
some  more  dog-food.  This  dog-food  was  walrus-skin ,  taken 
off  from  the  animal,  with  some  of  the  blubber  remaining ; 


Dr.  Bessels'  Plans.  481 

it  was  kept  in  large  rolls,  and  cut  up  as  it  was  needed  ;     1873. 

April. 

it  was  very  strong  food.  On  the  20th,  Dr.  Bessels 
returned  with  a  piece  of  dog-food,  and  with  E-win-ok'- 
shua,  whom  he  had  persuaded,  by  the  offer  of  a  large 
snow-knife,  to  accompany  him.  This  native  had  been 
several  times  at  the  house.  He  was  an  active  fellow,  of 
more  than  ordinary  intelligence,  nick-named  by  the  captain 
"  Sharkey",  from  a  resemblance  to  a  Cumberland  Gulf 
Esquimaux,  whose  traits  had  led  the  whalers  to  give  him 
that  name. 

The  doctor's  party  started  at  74  a.  m.  of  the  22d. 
The  dogs  were  strong,  and  moved  off  briskly  with  the 
two  heavily-loaded  sleds,  but  at  4  p.  m.  the  party 
returned,  having  broken  their  sled  after  getting  as  far  as 
Cape  Inglefield.  When  the  sled  was  taken  to  be  repaired, 
it  turned  out,  on  Sharkey's  own  confession,  that  he 
had  broken  it  on  purpose,  and  had  resolved  not  to 
make  the  journey.  Dragging  the  sleds  over  the  hum 
mocks  was  too  severe  labor.  Jim,  now,  also  refused  to 
go,  and  he  was  instigated  by  his  wife  to  persist  in  this 
refusal.  Finding  that  none  of  the  natives  would  accom 
pany  him,  Dr.  Bessels,  whose  resolution  was  still  unbro 
ken,  proposed,  with  the  consent  of  Captain  Budington,  to 
attempt  a  sledge-journey  accompanied  only  by  Hobby, 
His  real  plan,  as  now  made  known,  had  been  to  ascend 
as  far  as  Thank-God  Harbor,  and,  after  recruiting  there, 

31 


482  Boat-sails. 

1873.  and  taking  in  a  fresh  supply  of  provisions,  to  go  as  much 
further  north  as  practicable.  The  rapid  dispersion  of  the 
ice  and  the  lateness  of  the  season  compelled  him  to 
abandon  this  project. 

On  the  26th,  a  very  strong  gale  from  the  N.  E. 
broke  up  the  ice  a  great  deal,  and  made  much  open  water ; 
the  ice  was  entirely  cleared  out  from  between  McGary 
and  Littleton  Islands;  the  southwest  point  of  the  tongue 
of  land  upon  which  the  house  stood  was  washed  by  the 
waves.  The  gale  continued  on  the  27th,  when  the  water 
approached  within  400  yards  of  the  vessel.  On  the  28th, 
it  was  within  250  yards,  and  appeared  to  touch  the  shore 
a  few  miles  to  the  north.  On  the  29th,  a  large  seal  was 
seen  lying  on  the  ice  not  far  from  the  ship.  Several  of 
the  crew  tried  to  get  near  it,  but  were  prevented  by 
the  broken  ice.  It  was  waked  up  by  a  shot  from  Hayes, 
but  was  not  hurt. 

Under  the  skillful  direction  of  Mr.  Chester,  the  boats, 
which  were  laid  down  on  the  19th,  were  making  rapid 
progress,  and  promised  to  be  finished  by  the  middle  of 
May.  On  the  30th,  the  sails  were  made.  Mr.  Chester 
chose  a  square-sail  for  his  boat,  while  Captain  Buding- 
ton  ordered  a  sprit-sail.  They  were  made  of  cotton 
sheets  and  some  linen  toweling. 

The  highest  temperature  during  April  was  21°.3; 
the  lowest, — 31°.  6;  while  the  mean  was — 6°.0. 


'.    I 


-X 


Scow  Built.  483 

Up  to  the  1st  of  May,  there  had  been  one  hundred      1873. 

May. 

and  two  Esquimaux,  men,  women,  and  children,  at  Polaris 
House,  with  as  many  as  one  hundred  and  fifty  dogs.  The 
greater  part  of  those  who  lived  along  the  coast  from 
Humholdt  Glacier  to  Melville  Bay  made  a  visit  to  the 
house;  for  the  whole  population  of  that  region  does  not 
probably  exceed  one  hundred  and  fifty  souls. 

Hayes  and  Campbell  started  on  the  1st,  to  spend  a 
few  days  with  the  Esquimaux  at  Etah-Watanny.  During 
the  first  four  days  of  May,  snow  fell  almost  continuously. 
It  was  the  heaviest  snow-fall  experienced  by  the  expedition, 
the  snow  in  some  places  being  three  feet  deep.  The  natives 
said  tha,t  such  a  storm  occurs  every  year  about  this  time. 

On  the  5th,  Mr.  Chester  commenced  building  a  small 
scow,  to  be  used  for  hunting  in  open  water,  intending, 
upon  his  departure,  to  give  it  to  Jim  It  was  entirely 
finished  on  the  7th,  and  painted  and  launched  on  the  12th. 
It  frequently  proved  serviceable. 

At  6i  a.  m.  of  the  6th,  Hayes  and  Campbell  returned 
from  Etah-Watanny.  They  had  been  on  the  road  twenty 
hours,  walking  through  the  deep  snow,  and  were  very 
much  exhausted.  During  their  absence,  they  had  had 
very  bad  weather,  and  were  not  able  to  go  far  from  the 
igloos,  so  that  they  saw  no  game.  They  reported  that 
Miouk  died  on  the  3d.  He  had  a  very  short  sickness,  and 
suffered  from  inflammation  of  the  lungs. 


484  Miouk  Buried. 

I8ra.  The  men  had  a  good  opportunity  of  witnessing  the 

ITIuy. 

funeral  ceremonies.  Shortly  after  Miouk's  death,  the 
body  was  wrapped  in  skins  and  placed  on  a  sled,  with  all 
his  hunting  implements.  The  sled  was  dragged  up  the  hill 
side  behind  the  village,  and  the  body  was  placed  in  a  hole 
dug  in  the  snow,  in  a  sitting  posture,  with  the  face  to  the 
west,  his  sled  and  other  personal  property  being  laid  over 
him.  All  manifested  their  sorrow  in  their  peculiar  man 
ner.  The  women  carried  a  bunch  of  dried  grass  in  the 
left  nostril;  and  the  men,  one  in  the  right.  Budington 
says  in  his  journal: — "As  I  understand,  the  widow  of 
Miouk  killed  the  youngest  child,  a  baby  about  six  months 
old.  One  of  our  men  had  prevented  her  from  committing 
this  crime  on  the  day  of  Miouk's  death;  but  Jim's  wife, 
Evallu,  informed  me  to-day  that  it  was  really  done  while 
our  men  were  out  on  the  ice.  These  natives  are  indeed 
to  be  pitied,  and  a  mission  station  erected  among  these 
savages  would  be  a  good  work.  If  we  could  take  these 
natives  down  to  the  southern  part  of  Greenland,  as  Dr. 
Kane  had  already  proposed,  I  am  certain  our  own  Gov 
ernment,  and  also  the  Danish  authorities,  would  approve 
of  such  an  act." 

The  men  witnessed  also  the  ceremony  of  a  divorce, 
which  grew  out  of  the  following  circumstances,  the  knowl 
edge  of  which  was  gleaned  from  various  sources : — Munny, 
a  well-formed  and  good-looking  Esquimaux  girl,  in  love 


Divorce.  485 

with   JXl-shet'-shu-lok'-ku,  was  forced   by  her   father  to     1878. 

May. 

marry  Enu,  a  youth  in  better  circumstances  than  her  lover. 
After  a  lapse  of  time,  the  first  lover's  worldly  circumstances 
were  improved,  and  a  divorce  was  resolved  upon  from 
her  husband,  with  whom  she  had  lived  unhappily.  The 
ceremony  of  divorce  was  as  follows : — Munny  lay  upon 
her  back  on  the  sleeping-place  of  one  of  the  igloos,  with 
her  knees  drawn  up,  and  a  cord  around  her  head.  Ka- 
rush-uck,  a  very  old  woman,  stood  over  her,  holding  the 
cord  in  her  hand,  and  uttering  what  appeared  to  be  a  form 
of  words,  frequently  changing  the  tone  and  measure ;  at 
intervals  pulling  on  the  cord,  and  raising  Munny's  head. 
This  harangue  continued  for  two  hours.  No  Esquimaux 
was  in  the  igloo  at  the  time  except  Shukok,  Munny's 
brother-in-law.  As  soon  as  the  ceremony  was  over,  Shu 
kok  took  her  on  his  sled  to  one  of  the  settlements  further 
south,  where  she  was  received  by  her  sister  and  by  her  lover 
who  immediately  proposed  and  was  accepted.  During 
the  ceremony  of  divorce,  the  husband  was  in  another 
igloo  crying  bitterly.  He  lay  all  day  with  his  face  to  the 
wall.  He  spoke  to  no  one,  and  refused  to  eat.  The  next 
morning,  he  seemed  more  composed,  although  still  very 
sad  and  desolate.  He  returned  with  the  men  to  the  house, 
and  remained,  wandering  about  several  days  in  a  listless 
manner,  with  scarcely  a  smile  upon  his  face,  looking  very 
sad,  as  he  tried  to  tell  the  story  of  his  loss.  Munny  "pe- 


486  Hunting  Party. 

1873.     tond-e-tuk",  or  "gone",  was  the  burden  of  his  lamenta- 

Iftay. 

tion. 

On  the  9th,  there  was  a  very  severe  N.  E.  gale,  the 
velocity  rising  to  48  miles  per  hour.  On  the  10th,  two 
burgomaster-gulls  were  seen.  On  the  llth,  Mr.  Chester 
with  Jim  went  to  Etah  to  spend  the  day  hunting ;  they 
saw  no  deer,  but  very  many  hares ;  but,  unfortunately, 
Mr.  Chester's  cartridges  for  the  breech-loading  fowling- 
piece  which  he  carried,  were  found  defective.  Jim  shot  a 

hare  with  a  navy  pistol. 

On  the  13th,  Siemens,  Hobby,  and  Mauch,  with 
three  Esquimaux,  went  hunting.  The  following  account 
of  their  hunt  is  taken  from  Mauch's  journal : — 

"At  4.30  a.  m.  on  the  13th,  I  left  the  house  in  com 
pany  with  the  other  men  already  named.  For  driver  I 
had  Kow-ket'-shu,  a  sentimental  young  man,  who  amongst 
us  goes  under  the  name  of  'Simple  Simon'.  I  must  say  I 
would  have  enjoyed  the  ride  much  better  if  my  driver  had 
not  been  talking  the  whole  way  of  'pid'-del-e-tay'  (give 
me).  In  fact,  I  had  to  promise  him  everything  that  I 
possessed,  and  then  he  was  not  satisfied,  but  desired  to 
know  what  he  could  get  when  the  ship  that  shall  take  us 
away  comes  up  here.  In  the  first  place,  he  wants  a  great 
many  knives  and  guns,  powder,  &c.  This  formed  the 
topic  of  his  conversation,  and  whenever  I  tried  to  get  him 
off  that,  he  always  recommenced  the  old  story  about 


Mr.  Bryan's  Trip.  487 

"giving.  We  stopped  a  short  distance  south  of  Port  Foulke,      *  873» 

May. 

behind  a  small  island.  Conducted  hy  Shukok,  we  went 
over  the  plain  back  of  Aubrey  Mountain,  where  we  ex 
pected  to  meet  plenty  of  deer.  However,  we  were  sorely 
disappointed,  being  compelled  to  return  almost  without 
any  game.  Hermann,  who,  with  Sharkey,  had  been  on 
another  place,  had  shot  two  hares.  About  noon,  we  left 
for  Foulke  Fiord,  where  we  stopped  at  the  foot  of  Dodge's 
Mountains,  and  went  hunting  around  Alida  Lake  and 
Brother  John's  Glacier.  Hermann  again  was  the  fortu 
nate  man.  He  shot  another  hare,  and,  on  top  of  the  hill, 
he  fell  in  with  a  deer ;  but  as  his  Sharps'  rifle  proved  to 
be  unfit  for  use,  he  did  not  get  it.  About  6  p.  m.,  we 
left  Alida  Lake  for  our  homeward  route,  and  arrived 
at  the  house  about  8  p.  m.,  much  fatigued  from  our  tramp 
over  the  mountains." 

At  6  a.  m.  of  the  13th,  Mr.  Bryan  set  out  with  Jim  to 
go  to  Rensselaer  Harbor,  where  he  designed  making  time- 
observations  for  the  meridian  difference  between  that  har 
bor,  the  best-established  meridian  on  the  coast,  and  Polaris 
House.  The  following  account  of  the  trip  is  taken  from 
his  journal :  — 

Crossing  the  ice  of  the  little  bay,  they  struck  the  ice 
foot  at  Cape  Hatherton,  and  followed  it  until  they  came 
to  the  bay  just  south  of  Cairn  Point.  Traversing  this  bay 
in  order  to  shorten  the  distance,  they  took  to  the  land,  and 


488  Difficult  Traveling. 

1873.    .passed  over  the  isthmus  which  connects  Cairn  Point  with 

May. 

the  mainland.  Thence  they  kept  out  on  the  smooth  ice 
of  the  straits,  and  outside  the  hummocks.  At  the  merid 
ian  of  Annowaytok,  they  met  a  line  of  hummocks  extend 
ing  as  far  north  as  could  be  seen.  Toward  the  west  the 
ice  was  smooth  and  unbroken,  toward  the  east  it  was  old 
and  exceedingly  rough  ;  icebergs  and  bergy  masses  were 
scattered  all  over  it,  rendering  sledging  almost  impossible. 
Turning  toward  the  land,  with  much  difficulty,  they  crossed 
a  belt  of  hummocks  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  wide, 
and  reached  the  ice-foot  near  the  hut  at  11. 30  a.  m. 

Owing  to  the  extreme  roughness  of  the  ice,  it  was 
necessary  to  hug  the  ice-foot,  which,  following  the  sinuosi 
ties  of  the  coast,  greatly  increased  their  journey.  The 
snow  upon  the  ice-foot  had  become  soft  under  the  sun's 
influence,  and,  as  it  was  quite  deep,  it  proved  to  be  a 
great  impediment  to  travel.  Quite  an  amusing  incident 
occurred  on  the  .way.  Mr.  Bryan,  sitting  on  the  sled  be 
hind  Jim,  being  fatigued,  fell  asleep.  He  was  suddenly 
awakened  by  feeling  the  sharp  sting  of  Jim's  lash  across 
his  face.  He  began  to  expostulate  mildly  with  the  driver, 
when  he  discovered  that  he  also  was  asleep.  The  dogs 
were  slowly  and  laboriously  wading  through  the  snow, 
urged  to  their  utmost  by  the  continual  application  of  the 
whip  in  the  hands  of  the  unconscious  Jim.  They  arrived 
at  llensselaer  Harbor  at  10  p.  m. 


Rensselaer  Harbor.  489 

Stopping  on  the  land  west  of  the  island  on  which 


May. 

Kane  had  his  observatory,  they  huilt  a  snow-house.  The 
14th  was  cloudy.  The  15th  set  in  cloudy,  and  by  noon 
there  was  no  indication  that  it  would  clear  up.  In  making 
the  arrangement  with  Jim,  Mr.  Bryan  had  hoped  that  the 
weather  would  be  favorable,  and  the  contract  had  included 
only  one  sleep.  Not  wishing  to  impose  upon  the  good- 
natured  Esquimaux,  he  told  Jim  to  return,  leaving  one 
of  his  dogs  as  a  companion.  At  first  Jim  did  riot  wish  to 
go,  but,  being  further  urged,  started  at  1  p.  m.,  carrying 
a  note  to  Captain  Budington,  and  reached  the  house  early 
on  the  morning  of  the  16th.  Just  three  and  a  half  hours 
after  Jim's  departure,  it  began  to  clear  off.  The  copper  bolt, 
set  in  lead  in  the  crevice  of  the  rock  by  Dr.  Kane,  left 
there  to  mark  the  site  of  his  observatory,  was  found,  and 
observations  were  successfully  made  near  it.  At  the  spot 
where  Baker  and  Shubert  were  buried,  Mr.  Bryan  found 
that  the  white  paint  with  which  their  names,  with  suitable 
inscriptions,  had  been  marked,  had  almost  entirely  disap 
peared  from  the  rock;  a  few  words  only  could  with  diffi 
culty  be  spelled  out.  A  great  many  pieces  of  wood,  iron, 
glass,  crockery,  leather,  cloth,  and  rope  lay  about  the 
island  and  on  the  mainland. 

The  necessary  observations  having  been  taken,  Mr. 
Bryan  resolved  to  return.  After  eating  a  hearty  meal,  and 
giving  the  rest  of  the  provisions  to  the  dog,  he  made  up 


490  A  Toilsome  Tramp. 

1873.     his  bundle,  and,  finding  that  the  dog  would  not  carry  it, 

may. 

he  shouldered  it  himself,  and  started  on  his  toilsome  tramp 
at  7J  p.  m. 

After  a  walk  of  twenty  hours,  he  came  to  the  hut  at 
Annowaytok,  where  he  began  to  feel  tired  and  hungry. 
The  bundle,  which  at  first  had  seemed  quite  light,  now 
felt  very  weighty,  and  he  left  it  on  a  rock  near  the  ice 
foot,  where  it  was  subsequently  recovered.  After  a  rest 
of  two  hours,  at  5j  p.  m.  of  the  16th,  he  resumed  his 
journey.  The  ice  upon  the  sound,  being  smooth  and  free 
from  snow,  was  better  for  walking  than  the  ice-foot;  it 
also  shortened  the  distance  by  enabling  the  traveler  to  pass 
from  cape  to  cape.  Walking  for  some  distance,  he  -came 
to  a  fresh  crack,  about  2  feet  wide,  where,  forgetting  how 
tired  he  was,  he  made  a  false  step  and  fell  into  the  crack 
up  to  the  arm-pits.  After  taking  off  his  stockings  and 
wringing  them  out,  so  that  he  could  walk,  he  felt  very 
much  refreshed.  Soon  afterward,  he  came  to  a  large  piece 
of  seal  meat  and  blubber,  which  had  been  left  on  a  cake 
of  ice  by  some  of  the  natives.  The  dog  and  the  man  saw 
the  meat  at  about  the  same  time,  and  had  a  race  for  it. 
The  dog  reached  it  first,  but  did  not  get  more  than  one 
bite  before  he  was  driven  off.  The  meal  was  not  very 
palatable,  for  during  this  the  breeding-season  the  flesh  of 
the  male  seal  is  very  strong  and  smells  villainously.  It  is 
even  offensive  to  the  natives.  Hunger,  however,  over- 


A  Sixty -Mile  Walk.  491 

came  all  fastidiousness,  and  Mr.  Bryan's  knife  was  soon     1873. 

May. 

at  work,  large  masses  being  ravenously  eaten.  After  sat 
isfying  their  hunger,  both  man  and  dog  proceeded  on  their 
journey  strengthened.  The  vile  taste  of  the  seal  meat, 
however,  lingered  for  a  long  time. 

At  2.10  a.  m.  of  the  17th,  much  to  the  relief  of  Cap 
tain  Budington,  who  had  begun  to  be  apprehensive  about 
him,  Mr.  Bryan  reached  the  house.  The  distance  which 
he  had  walked  in  these  28-i-  hours  of  constant  travel,  tak 
ing  into  account  the  windings  of  the  coast,  was  estimated 
to  be  at  least  60  miles.  Dr.  Kane  had  called  the  distance 
from  Kensselaer  Harbor  to  Etah  91  miles,  and  Etah  was 
less  than  20  miles  from  Polaris  House.  Soon  after  Mr. 
Bryan's  return,  his  eyes  began  to  hurt  him,  and  he  suffered 
the  agonies  of  snow-blindness  in  its  worst  form  for  two 
days.  His  face  also  was  blistered  so  badly  that  all  the  skin 
came  off.  By  the  20th,  however,  he  had  entirely  recov 
ered  from  the  painful  effects  of  his  tramp. 

On  the  14th,  three  Esquimaux,  who  had  been  absent 
42  hours  on  a  hunt  north,  brought  to  the  house  twelve  seals; 
snow-birds  and  gulls  were  seen  near  by.  On  the  16th,  the 
temperature  was  for  the  first  time  above  the  freezing-point 
of  water.  The  rocks,  however,  had,  for  some  time,  been 
furnishing  water  to  the  birds  and  foxes,  from  the  melting 
snow.  On  the  17th,  the  boats  were  painted  and  the  store 
room  was  taken  down,  most  of  its  wood  being  used  for  fuel. 


492  Eclipse  of  the  Sun. 

1873.  On  the  18th,  there  was  a  great  deal  of  water  in  the 

May. 

straits,  where  the  hirds  flocked  in  numbers.  The  atmos 
phere  was  wonderfully  clear,  and  portions  of  the  land  north 
of  United  States  Sound  could  he  seen.  On  the  19th,  Hobby 
and  Mauch  went  out  in  the  little  scow  and  shot  six  dove- 
kies,  and  on  the  22d  three  more  were  shot  by  Mauch.  On 
the  21st,  Siemens  shot  two  hares  on  the  plain  east  of  the 
house.  On  the  23d,  Jim  and  Enu  came  from  the  north 
with  six  seals  ;  Jim  had  shot  two  with  a  navy  pistol.  On 
the  24th,  a  hare  was  killed.  Jim  took  Dr.  Bessels  to 
Brother  John's  Glacier,  and  returned  to  the  house,  leaving 
the  doctor  there,  whose  object  was  to  examine  the  glacier 
and  make  some  observations  that  would  show  its  rate  of 
progress. 

On  the  25th,  Coffin  shot  a  hare.  Preparations  were 
made  for  observing  the  eclipse  of  the  sun  predicted  for 
the  early  morning  of  the  26th  ;  the  observations  were  suc 
cessful. 

Two  sleds  with  natives  came  from  the  south,  bring 
ing  fifteen  auks,  which  they  had  killed  on  their  way  up ; 
they  reported  that  large  flocks  were  flying  into  Poulke 
Fiord. 

On  the  27th,  the  boats  were  finished;  they  were  well 
built;  their  dimensions  were, — length,  25  feet;  breadth,  5 
feet;  and  depth,  2  feet  4  inches.  There  was  room  for  six 
rowers  and  the  cockswain;  a  spare  oar  was  provided,  fit- 


Catching  Auks.  493 

ted  as  a  mast;  the  boats  were  flat-bottomed.     Mr.  Chester 


IVay. 

had  exhibited  not  only  great  skill  in  workmanship,  but 
great  ingenuity  in  selecting  and  adapting  the  material, 
in  the  use  of  imperfect  tools  and  in  supplying  the 
many  deficiencies  incident  to  the  situation.  Tools  were 
made  when  necessary;  screws  took  the  place  of  nails; 
and  the  boats  were  strengthened  by  copper  rods  amid 
ships  and  between  the  timbers.  The  feeling  of  gratitude 
to  Mr.  Chester  for  providing  these  efficient  means  of  es 
cape  was  deep  and  universal. 

On  the  27th,  Mr.  Bryan,  accompanied  by  Awah-tah, 
set  out  to  join  Dr.  Bessels,  in  order  to  determine  the 
meridian  difference  between  Port  Foulke  and  Polaris 
House.  They  crossed  the  land,  as  they  had  done  in  the 
autumn.  Mr.  Bryan  wished  Awah-tah  to.  go  directly  to 
Port  Foulke  and  leave  him  there,  while  he  brought  the 
doctor  down  from  the  head  of  the  fiord;  but  the  Esqui 
maux  wanted  Mr.  Bryan  to  see  him  catch  auks.  Accord 
ingly,  they  ascended  the  fiord,  stopping  not  far  from  its 
head,  at  the  base  of  Dodge's  Mountains,  the  sloping  side 
of  which  covered  with  large  stones,  fairly  swarmed  with 
the  little  creatures.  The  view  at  times  was  obstructed  by 
them,  and  the  rocks  were  whitened  by  their  breasts;  their 
chirping  filled  the  air.  Having  fastened  the  dogs  at  the 
foot  of  the  mount,  the  party  climbed  part  of  the  way  up, 
until  they  were  fairly  in  the  midst  of  the  little  creatures, 


494  Sonntag's  Grave. 

1873.     where,  with  a  small  net  made  of  sinew  and  fastened  to  a 

May. 

hoop  18  inches  in  diameter,  on  a  pole  10  or  12  feet  long, 
Awah-tah  caught  them  as  they  flew  within  his  reach. 
They  were  constantly  in  motion  and  in  such  numbers, 
that  he  very  soon  bagged  a  large  quantity  of  them. 

After  the  dogs  had  a  hearty  meal,  the  journey  was 
resumed.  Reaching  the  head  of  the  fiord,  they  found 
that  Dr.  Bessels  had  finished  his  work,  and  wras  ready  to 
return.  Taking  a  short  rest,  the  party  again  set  out,  stop 
ping  at  Etah,  and  depositing  there  the  doctor's  camping 
arrangements.  They  then  crossed  the  fiord,  and,  upon 
reaching  the  land,  Mr.  Bryan  and  the  doctor  left  Awah- 
tah,  at  his  own  request,  at  the  sled,  and  walked  over  to 
Port  Foulke.  They  found  that  Sonntag's  grave  had  been 
despoiled;  the  gravestone  was  down,  and  his  bones  were 
scattered  about.  They  replaced  his  fine  large  skull  in 
the  grave,  collected  all  the  other  bones,  and  refilled  the 
grave;  the  headstone  was  also  reset.  It  was  afterward 
learned  that  the  Esquimaux  had  dug  up  the  grave  to  get 
the  wood  of  which  the  coffin  was  made.  No  signs  of  the 
observatory  could  be  seen;  the  relics  were  very  few,  con 
sisting  of  some  pieces  of  wood,  a  small  piece  of  rope, 
and  broken  glass.  Dr.  Bessels  at  midnight  returned  with 
Awah-tah  to  the  house,  leaving  Mr.  Bryan  to  make  some 
observations,  in  which  he  was  successful,  notwithstanding 
Dr.  Bessels  had  carried  off*  the  trough  of  his  artificial 


.  , 


(>F 


^  «  - 


The  Crews  Selected.  495 

horizon,  for  which  he  was  obliged  to  make  a  wooden  sub-        1873. 

-VTTTI  i  •  May. 

stitute.  When  about  to  start  on  his  journey  home,  a  na 
tive,  sent  by  Captain  Budington,  came  to  him  with  a  sled ; 
he  arrived  at  the  house  at  1 1  p.  m.  Jim,  Enu,  and  Acoo 
returned  from  the  north  at  about  the  same  time  with  four 
teen  seals. 

The  29th  was  fully  occupied  in  active  preparations  for 
the  departure  of  the  party  from  Polaris  House.  Each  one 
being  allowed  to  carry  eight  pounds  only,  it  was  hard  to 
decide  what  should  be  taken  and  what  left.  Provisions 
for  two  arid  a  half  months  were  carefully  packed  in  small 
bags  for  easy  handling.  Some  of  the  rigging  was  chopped 
into  small  pieces  for  fuel,  and  excellent  fuel  it  made.  The 
crews  were  selected  and  assigned ;  Captain  Budington's 
crew  being  as  follows: — N.  J.  Coffin,  stroke  ;  Wm.  Morton, 
A.  A.  Odell,  Noah  Hayes,  J.  B.  Mauch;  E,  W.  D.  Bryan, 
bow.  Mr.  Chester's  crew  consisted  of  Dr.  Emil  Bessels, 
stroke ;  Emil  Schumann,  J .  W.  Booth,  Walter  Campbell, 
Henry  Hobby ;  Hermann  Siemens,  bow.  The  position 
of  the  house,  as  determined  by  Mr.  Bryan,  was, — latitude, 
78°  23'  30"  N.;  longitude,  73°  21'  10"  W. 

On  the  30th,  almost  all  the  land-ice  broke  away,  and 
with  it  the  Polaris  went  adrift.  She  was  carried  about 
200  yards  toward  the  south,  where  she  again  grounded. 
At  high  tide  her  upper  deck  was  about  two  feet  below 
the  surface  of  the  water.  Siemens  and  Hobby  went 


496  Ready  to  Start  South. 

1873.     out   to  her  in  the  little  scow,  and  fastened  two  large 

June. 

hawsers  to  her  from  the  rocks  on  shore.  It  was  thought 
she  might  be  driven  high  and  dry  upon  the  beach  in  the 
autumn,  and  furnish  to  the  Esquimaux  a  supply  of  wood. 

Meteorological  observations  were  now  discontinued. 
They  had  been  regularly  made  from  the  1st  of  November, 
Dr.  Bessels  observing  during  sixteen  consecutive  hours 
each  day,  and  Mr.  Bryan  who  relieved  Mauch  on  the  21st 
of  November,  observing  during  the  remaining  eight. 

On  the  31st,  the  boats  were  carried  down  to  the 
shore,  and  the  provisions  were  distributed  and  got  ready 
to  be  put  on  board.  The  2d  of  June  was  the  day  ap 
pointed  for  sailing. 

On  the  1st,  Captain  Budington  and  Mr.  Chester  were 
quite  sick  with  pains  in  the  chest ;  on  the  next  day  they 
were  much  better,  but  Booth  began  to  suffer  from  the 
same  complaint.  A  gale  was  blowing  from  the  N.  E., 
and  it  would  have  been  imprudent  to  launch  the  boats. 


497 


CHAPTER    XX. 


On  the  2d,  Captain  Hall's  large  Arctic  library  was     1873. 

June. 

carefully  packed  in  his  trunk,  taken  about  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  in  a  direction  E.  S.  E.  from  the  house,  and  there 
placed  in  a  cache ;  where  were  also  deposited  the  pendu 
lum,  the  transit-instrument  without  its  glasses,  three  box- 
chronometers  (sidereal),  and  the  two  log-books  of  the 
Polaris,  together  with  a  statement  of  what  had  been  done 
by  the  Expedition,  and  of  their  present  prospect  of  reach 
ing  in  the  boats  either  one  of  the  Scotch  whalers  at  Cape 
York,  or  the  Danish  settlements. 

All  hands  were  called  at  1  a.  m.  of  the  3d,  in  order 
to  be  ready  to  get  off  at  high  tide.  There  wras  some  dif 
ficulty  in  launching  the  boats,  on  account  of  the  swell  and 
the  loose  cakes  of  ice.  Jim  and  his  family  were  loath  to 
part  with  the  "Kodlunahs"  whose  hospitality  they  had 
enjoyed  during  the  winter,  and  the  sentiment  was  recipro 
cated.  The  other  Esquimaux  did  not  display  any  feeling; 
this  was  attributed,  not  unreasonably,  to  their  extreme 


500  Sorfalik. 

1873.     pleasure  on  coming  into  possession  of  so  much  valuable 

June. 

property. 

The  boats,  having  been  freighted  and  manned,  got 
under  way,  and  at  2.30,  stood  down  the  coast,  with  a  fail- 
wind,  Chester  being  ahead.  At  3.45,  Cape  Ohlsen  was 
passed.  From  this  point  to  Cape  Alexander,  which  was 
doubled  at  6.22,  the  sea  was  quite  rough.  The  boats  leaked 
a  little,  but  here  proved  to  be  very  good  sea-boats.  When 
they  were  south  of  Cape  Alexander,  the  wind  going  down 
it  was  necessary  to  take  to  the  oars.  At  11,  the  boats 
came  to  a  loose  pack  which  they  could  not  enter ;  and,  not 
being  able  to  effect  a  landing,  they  returned  to  Sorfalik, 
where  they  arrived  at  2  p.  m.,  and  were  hauled  up  on  the 
ice-foot,  near  the  deserted  stone  huts  of  the  Esquimaux. 
The  rest  of  the  afternoon  was  spent  in  eating,  and  hunting 
auks. 

At  6.10  a.  m.  of  the  .4th,  the  boats  were  again 
launched,  and  the  ice  being  compact  near  the  shore,  a 
straight  course  was  shaped  for  Hakluyt  Island,  which  was 
reached  at  9.20  p.  m.,  after  an  almost  uninterrupted  pull 
of  fifteen  hours.  It  being  low  tide,  it  was  impossible  to 
haul  the  boats  up  on  the  ice-foot.  A  hot  soup  made  from 
the  auks  proved  a  delightful  addition  to  the  supper.  Cap 
tain  Budington  suddenly  became  very  sick,  and  for  a  time 
there  was  doubt  of  his  recovery,  but  he  finally  rallied. 
The  watch  being  set,  the  crews  went  to  sleep,  but  at  high 


HaUinjt  Island.  501 

water  all  hands  were  called,  and  the  hoats  were  hauled  up     1878. 

June. 

on  the  ice-foot.  At  that  time,  a  very  strong  hreeze  was 
hi  owing,  which  made  the  rocks  an  uncomfortable  place  for 
sleeping;  Mr.  Bryan,  however,  with  Hayes  and  Mauch, 
found  a  large  rock,  under  the  lea  of  which  they  made  their 
bed  by  digging  away  a  bank  of  snow  and  putting  moss  in 
its  place,  over  which  they  spread  a  blanket,  covering 
themselves  with  two  other  blankets.  They  slept  com 
fortably,  but  when  they  awoke  found  themselves  com 
pletely  covered  with  drifted  snow. 

A  severe  gale  from  the  S.  W.  on  the  5th,  kept  the 
party  in  the  same  place.  A  raw  and  dreary  day  was 
passed  in  the  boats,  under  the  awning.  Some  of  the  crew 
ventured  on  a  ramble  inland,  and  found  a  rookery  of 
lummes  and  little  auks  on  the  north  side  of  the  island, 
where  the  cliffs  rose  almost  perpendicularly  out  of  the  sea. 
Toward  evening,  the  gale  had  increased  so  much  that 
the  spray  came  over  the  boats,  and  it  was  necessary  to 
haul  them  higher  up. 

The  6th  was  another  wretchedly  uncomfortable  day, 
with  a  violent  snow-storm  and  a  low  temperature.  The 
party  was  compelled  to  resort  to  exercise  to  keep  warm, 
which,  owing  to  the  snow  and  wind,  was  difficult  and  pain 
ful.  At  3.30  a.  m.  of  the  7th,  the  gale  died  away,  and  the 
falling  snow  was  scarcely  noticed ;  the  sun  came  out  and 
the  weather  was  bright,  with  a  Itoht  breeze  from  the 


502  Northumberland  Island. 

1873.     southwest.    Captain  Budington's  boat  was  cleared  out,  and 

June. 

turned  bottom  up  to  repair  the  leaks. 

The  cat  had  become  quite  wild  from  the  excitement 
of  the  journey  and  its  confined  quarters ;  when  taken  from 
the  boat,  it  ran  away,  disappeared  among  the  rocks  and 
was  not  again  seen. 

The  latitude  observed  was  77°  24'  N.  The  condition 
of  the  ice  toward  the  south  was  examined  by  Mr.  Bryan, 
who  reported  that  there  was  a  good  chance  to  reach  Cape 
Parry.  The  height  of  his  lookout,  measured  by  an  ane 
roid  barometer,  was  1,325  feet. 

At  6  a.  m.  of  the  8th,  all  hands  were  called,  for  the 
second  time  during  the  night.  Mr.  Chester  shoved  off  a 
little  before  8,  and  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  double 
the  southwest  point  of  the  island ;  the  passage  was  made 
between  it  and  Northumberland  Island,  where  a  good  deal 
of  very  close  ice  was  encountered ;  the  wind  was  blow 
ing  strong  from  the  S.  W.,  and  the  snow  was  falling 
thickly.  The  coast  of  Northumberland  Island  was  fol 
lowed  until  the  pack  coming  in  made  it  necessary  to  seek 
the  ice-foot,  which  was  done  at  11  a.  m.  At  the  landing, 
there  was  an  extensive  rookery  of  little  auks,  three  hun 
dred  and  fourteen  of  which  were  shot  at  a  short  distance 
from  the  boats.  The  birds  crowded  so  closely  together 
that  many  were  killed  at  one  shot. 

The  boats  started  again  at  8  a.  m.  of  the  9th,  but 


Whale  Sound,  503 

were  soon  driven  back  by  a  heavy  snow-squall  and  a     1873. 

June. 

southwest  wind  which  brought  in  the  pack ;  at  9  a.  m., 
they  were  hauled  up  again  on  the  ice-foot.  The  boats 
continued  to  leak  a  little,  but  were  easily  kept  free  by 
occasional  bailing. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  every  auk  had  disap 
peared;  geese,  ducks,  galls,  snipes,  snow-birds,  ravens,  a 
swallow,  and  foxes  were  seen ;  some  moss  was  found, 
which  was  used  for  fuel.  At  9.30  a.  m.  of  the  10th,  the 
party  made  another  start,  pulling  along  the  island  until 
compelled  to  stop  by  the  pack,  when  the  boats  were  again 
hauled  up  on  the  ice-foot,  at  11.15  a.  m.  Mr.  Chester, 
after  ascending  a  hill,  reported  a  good  opportunity  for 
reaching  Cape  Parry,  there  being  a  wide  lead  entirely 
across  Whale  Sound.  Getting  under  way  at  8  p.  m., 
the  boats  coasted  the  island  a  short  distance,  and  then 
struck  across  the  sound ;  southwesterly  winds  had,  how 
ever,  closed  up  Chester's  lead.  For  a  time,  efforts  were 
made  to  open  a  passage  for  the  boats.  When  about  one- 
third  of  the  distance  across  the  sound,  at  10.30  p.  m.,  the 
ice  suddenly  closed,  pressing  heavily  against  Captain  Bud- 
ington's  boat,  when  the  crew  leaped  upon  a  floe  and  hauled 
up  the  boat  rapidly,  but  for  which  she  would  have  been 
crushed.  At  this  time,  Mr.  Chester's  boat  was  ahead,  and 
in  a  small  pool  which,  closing  shortly  after,  compelled 
him  also  to  haul  up  on  the  ice.  Captain  Budington's  crew 


504  The  Boats  Beset. 

1873.     did  not  turn  in,  but  remained  all  night   trying  to  keep 

June. 

warm  by  exercise  on  a  cake  of  ice  not  more  than  twice 
as  large  as  the  boat ;  the  temperature  was  23°.  The  cake 
.  drifted  at  first  north,  toward  the  island,  and  then  followed 
its  western  shore,  at  a  distance  of  about  four  miles.  A 
slight  breeze  from  the  east  aided  their  progress  toward  the 
N.  W. ;  there  was  some  fear  of  the  boats  being  sepa 
rated. 

At  6  a.  m.  of  the  llth,  Captain  Budington's  boat  was 
opposite  the  point  from  which  it  had  started  to  cross  the 
sound.  Quite  a  space  of  open  water  was  seen  between 
the  land  and  the  edge  of  the  pack  about  a  mile  distant, 
and  it  was  decided  to  make  an  effort  to  reach  it. 

At  7.30  a.  m.,  the  movement  was  begun.  After 
several  trips,  all  the  provisions  were  carried  to  another 
floe,  nearer  the  open  water ;  then,  cutting  down  the  hum 
mocks  to  make  a  smooth  way,  the  party  returned  and 
dragged  the  boat  to  the  provisions.  After  about  ten  such 
trips,  the  water  was  reached  at  11.30  a.  m.,  when,  rowing 
against  a  head  wind  and  sea  for  an  hour,  the  two  miles  of 
open  water  were  crossed,  and  the  boat  was  hauled  up  on 
the  exact  spot  which  it  had  left  sixteen  and  a  half  hours 
before.  Mr.  Chester,  with  his  boat,  had  already  arrived  at 
the  same  place,  having  had  a  longer  distance  to  make,  but 
being  more  successful  in  finding  leads  and  in  being  able  to 
drag  his  loaded  boat  over  the  ice. 


Dalrymple  Island.  505 

The  crews  were  very  thankful  to  get  out  of  the  pack;     1873. 

June. 

they  were  grateful  for  their  escape  from  the  danger  of 
beinir  hound  in  it.  and  carried  with  it  to  the  south.  The 

O  ' 

exposure  on  the  floe  during  the  night  had  made  nearly  all 
of  Captain  Budington's  crew  snow-hlind;  and  every  one's 
face  and  hands  were  so  hadly  hurned  that  the  skin  came 
off,  causing  great  suffering. 

The  grateful  prospect  of  a  Sound  clear  from  ice  was 
seen  from  the  hill-top  on  the  12th.  At  10.30  a.  m.,  the 
hoats  got  under  way,  and,  after  passing  through  a  small 
stream  of  ice,  found  open  water.  A  good  hreeze  blowing 
out  of  the  sound  enabled  them  to  carry  sail  until  5  p.  m., 
wrhen,  being  within  a  few  miles  of  Cape  Parry,  the  wind 
died  away  and  the  men  took  to  their  oars.  At  6, 
the  cape  was  rounded;  at  8.45,  the  boats  stopped  on 
the  fast  ice,  just  above  Fitz  Clarence  Rock,  for  half  an 
hour,  until  the  tide  which  was  running  very  strong  against 
them,  turned ;  at  9  45,  they  were  hauled  up  on  Blackwood 
Point.  The  boats  were  a^ain  launched  at  11.45  a.  m.  of 

o 

the  13th,  and  sailed  for  an  hour  under  a  light  wind  abeam, 
after  which  the  oars  were  used  faithfully  until  9.30  p.  m., 
when  the  party  landed  at  Dalrymple  Island,  having 
stopped  at  6.  p.  m.  about  half  an  hour  for  lunch.  The  ice 
wras  fast  across  Wolstenholme  Sound,  so  that  the  boats 
could  not  go  inside  of  the  islands.  Many  walruses,  seals, 
and  narwhals  were  seen,  and  also  a  great  number  of 


506  Wolstcnlwlme  Island. 

1873.  birds.  The  last  few  hours  of  the  journey  had  been  spent 
in  an  almost  vain  struggle  against  a  strong  wind  and  tide ; 
the  island  was  reached,  however,  just  in  time  to  escape  a 
severe  southwest  gale.  It  was  expected  that  many  ducks' 
eggs  would  be  found  on  the  island,  but  the  season  was  too 
early. 

Forty-five  minutes  past  meridian  on  the  14th,  another 
start  was  made.  The  boats  kept  down  along  Wolsten- 
holrne  Island  until  they  came  to  a  close  pack,  where  they 
were  hauled  up  on  the  ice-foot  at  2.30  p.  m.  Captain 
Budington  at  once  dispatched  Messrs.  Bryan  and  Odell  to 
the  hills  to  report  upon  the  prospect  of  proceeding  further. 
They  walked  down  the  ice-foot  a  short  distance,  until  they 
came  to  a  place  where  an  ascent  of  the  steep  mountains 
was  practicable.  On  reaching  the  summit,  it  appeared 
that  the  fast  ice  extended  from  the  island,  south,  along  the 
coast  of  the  mainland ;  but  outside  there  was  a  passage 
between  the  land-ice  and  the  pack  as  far  as  Conical  Hock, 
which  was  as  far  as  they  could  see.  They  could  perceive 
that  the  land-ice  extended  out  into  the  straits  a  considera 
ble  distance,  and  that  it  would  require  a  long  detour  to  get 
round  it.  The  aneroid  barometer  at  the  summit  of  their 
lookout  read  28.69  inches;  the  difference  between  this 
reading  and  that  at  the  sea-level,  indicated  a  height  of 
about  730  feet.  Whalers  were  now  anxiously  looked  for. 
Desiring  to  get  to  Cape  York  as  soon  as  possible, 


LIB  BAR? 

I-SIVEKSITY   OF 


Conical  Bock.  507 

Captain  Budington  determined  to  take  the  risk  of  stand-     1873. 

Juue. 

ing  out,  and  started  again  at  10.30  p.  m.  He  had  a 
hard  pull  against  a  very  strong  wind.  At  3.45  a.  m.,  of 
the  15th,  not  being  able  to  make  headway  against  the 
wind  and  sea,  he  hauled  the  boats  up,  but  finding  that 
he  was  not  on  the  fast  ice,  at  10.30,  he  again  launched 
them,  and  at  7.30  p.  m.  reached  the  south  side  of  Con 
ical  Rock,  where  he  encamped  upon  the  ice  of  a  small 
bay.  During  part  of  the  passage,  the  wind  had  been 
favorable. 

In  the  afternoon,  the  first  light  rain  of  the  season  fell. 
During  the  16th  and  the  17th,  the  weather  was  so  bad 

o 

that  Captain  Budington  lay  by ;  the  storm  of  wind,  snow, 
and  rain  confining  the  people  to  the  boats,  which  it  was 
necessary  to  haul  further  back  on  the  ice.  Conical  Rock 
was  left  at  6.30  a.  m.  on  the  18th.  The  land-ice  having 
been  followed  about  5  miles,  at  8.45  a.  m.,  the  incoming 
pack  rendered  it  necessary  to  haul  up  on  the  floe.  The 
greatest  trouble  in  camping  upon  the  smooth  land-ice  was 
the  difficulty  of  obtaining  water;  to  melt  snow  consumed 
the  fuel  very  fast.  At  midnight,  Mr.  Bryan,  by  observa 
tion,  found  the  latitude  to  be  76°  02'  30"  N. 

Again,  at  7.30  a.m.  on  the  19th,  Captain  Budington 
set  out  with  a  fair  wind,  but  after  an  hour,  was  obliged  to 
haul  up  on  the  ice  in  consequence  of  its  closing.  The 
object  now  was  to  keep  close  in  with  the  fast  ice,  and  take 


508  The  Boats  Among  Ice. 

1873.     advantage  of  every  opening  made  in  the  pack,  as  by  hold- 
June. 

ing  on  to  the  fast  ice,  the  ground  already  made  would 
be  kept.  At  noon,  the  pack  moved  off,  and  the  boats 
got  under  way;  but,  after  making  about  13  miles 
under  sail,  they  were  forced  to  stop  at  2.30  p.  m.  A 
severe  gale,,  which  prevailed  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
day,  had  broken  off  a  very  large  portion  of  the  land-ice; 
for  at  8,  the  party  found  that  they  were  adrift,  and 
were  not  able  to  see  the  extent  of  the  floe.  At  midnight, 
they  again  got  under  way,  and,  after  a  pull  of  two 
hours,  reached  the  land-ice;  but,  the  part  upon  which  they 
were,  being  very  rotten,  they  took  the  first  opportunity  to 
move  on.  Starting  at  3  a.  m.,  they  were  tempted  by  a 
very  fine  lead  to  run  off  from  the  land-ice,  and,  after  a 
hard  pull  of  seven  hours,  they  found  the  end  of  the  lead, 
and  hauled  up  on  a  large  floe.  They  then  discovered, 
however,  that  they  were  not  on  the  land-ice,  as  expected, 
but  were  adrift.  They  were  unable  to  help  themselves, 
and  were  in  danger  of  being  carried  out  to  the  middle  of 
the  channel,  and  then  down  toward  Labrador  and  the 
Atlantic. 

The  folio  wing  account  of  the  21st  is  taken  from  Bud- 
ington's  journal: — 

"At  8  a.  m.,  we  left  the  floe,  proceeding  through 
loose  pack-ice.  After  an  hour,  we  were  compelled 
to  haul  up  again.  Here  we  were  compelled  to  stop 


Melville  Bay,  509 

"for  about  an  hour;  then  the  ice  commenced  to  slacken  in     1878. 

June. 

a  northeasterly  direction,  and  we  immediately  launched 
our  boats.  After  a  short  pull  through  the  loose  pack,  we 
made  a  large  body  of  open  water,  in  which  we  proceeded 
in  an  E.  S.  E.  direction  (by  compass),  this  being  the 
.direction  in  which  I  had -observed  the  farthest  land  in 
Melville  Bay.  It  was  fortunate  I  did  take  the  direction 
by  compass,  and  also  informed  Mr.  Chester  of  our  course, 
for  a  heavy  fog  soon  set  in,  which,  in  fact,  became  so 
thick  that  we  almost  lost  sight  of  the  other  boat.  At  4 
p.  m.,  we  reached  the  fast  floe,  which  was  making  from 
Cape  York  right  across  the  bay  in  a  direction  about  S.  E. 
by  E.  Here  we  enjoyed  light,  favorable  air  from  the  N. 
E.  and  plenty  of  open  water;  we  therefore  proceeded 
along  the  floe  under  sail  until  7  p.  m.,  when  we  had  to 
haul  up  our  boat  and  drag  it  over  a  narrow  tongue  of  ice, 
launching  her  again  on  the  other  side  of  the  tongue. 
After  a  short  time,  the  ice  again  compelled  me  to  haul  up 
on  the  floe  at  9  p.  m.,  and,  as  there  was  no  further  chance 
of  proceeding,  we  encamped  for  the  night.  .One  boat 
(that  is,  mine)  has  been  leaking  so  badly  that  we  caulked 
her  again  all  over  after  our  arrival  here." 

During  the  night,  the  pack  pressed  very  heavily 
against  the  land-ice  near  the  encampment,  and  the  boats 
were  taken  further  back  to  protect  them  from  the  pack, 
which  was  eating  its  way  into  the  floe.  Soon  after  the 


510  Budirigton's  Boat  Stove. 

1 873.     removal,  the  pressure  ceased,  and  a  large  portion  of  the 

June. 

floe  broke  off.  The  boats  again  started  at  8.30  a.  m.  of 
the  22d,  bat  were  able  to  advance  only  half  a  mile. 
From  this  point,  it  could  be  seen  that  the  pack  pressed 
close  against  the  land-ice  for  several  miles;  and  the  only 
hope  was  for  a  northerly  wind  that  would  drive  the  pack  off, 
and  open  a  passage,  though  it  was  feared  that  a  very  strong 
wind  might  break  off  a  large  portion  of  the  Melville  Bay 
land-ice,  and  carry  the  boats  with  it  out  into  the  pack. 
At  midnight,  the  ice  began  to  open,  and  at  1  a.  m.,  the 
boats  were  launched.  After  having  gone  a  short  distance, 
it  was  necessary  to  haul  them  over  the  floe  about  half 
a  mile.  Again  launching,  the  party  rowed  a  short  dis 
tance,  when  the  pack  moved  in  very  rapidly.  Mr.  Ches 
ter's  boat,  which  was  a  little  ahead,  passed  through  a 
narrow  strait,  but  Captain  Budingtou's  was  caught 
between  the  floe  and  the  pack.  He  saw  the  danger,  and 
called  upon  the  men  to  pull  harder;  but,  being  tired  and 
not  seeing  the  danger,  they  did  not  exert  themselves 
sufficiently.  When  fairly  caught,  all  hands  jumped  upon 
the  ice,  and,  by  great  exertion,  hauled  the  loaded  boat 
up,  on  her  broadside.  One  plank  was  stove,  but  was 
speedily  repaired  by  tacking  tarred  canvass  over  the  open 
ing,  after  which  the  boat  was  again  launched  in  open  water. 
It  was  impossible  to  go  much  further,  however,  on  account 
of  the  pack,  and  the  party  lay  by.  At  4.45  a.  m.,  plenty 


LI  lilt  A  It  Y 

:;  UNIVERSITY  OF  < 

CALIFORNIA. 


Ship  Ahoy!  511 

of  fresh  water  was  obtained  from  ponds  on  the  neighbor-     1873. 

June. 

ing  icebergs.  All  hands  lay  down,  except  Mr.  Bryan  and 
Mr.  Chester,  left  on  watch. 

At  10  a.  m.,  Mr.  Chester  electrified  the  company  by 
calling  out  "Ship  ahoy!"  About  ten  miles  to  the  south, 
fastened  to  the  land-ice,  were  seen  the  three  masts  and 
the  smoke-stack  of  a  bark.  There  was  a  thrill  of  joy.  Here 
was  the  Scotch  whaler  that  had  been  expected.  The  flag 
was  hoisted  on  two  oars  lashed  together.  The  bark,  by 
running  up  her  ensign,  soon  gave  notice  that  the  signal 
was  seen.  Mr.  Chester  and  Hobby  were  at  once  dis 
patched  to  communicate  with  the  vessel,  and  ask  passage 
for  the  company.  They  were  met,  wrhen  little  more  than 
half-way,  by  ten  men  who  had  started  out  to  render  assist 
ance.  Two  of  them  turned  back  to  report  to  the  captain ; 
the  remaining  eight,  accompanied  by  Chester,  continued  on 
toward  the  boats,  which  they  reached  at  3  p.  m.  They  had 
been  so  thoughtful  as  to  fill  their  pockets  with  ships'  biscuit, 
not  knowing  but  that  the  strangers  were  actually  starving. 
They  communicated  the  grateful  intelligence  that  the  ice 
floe  party,  under  Captain  Tyson,  had  been  picked  up. 

Captain  Budington  ordered  all  hands  to  prepare  to 
walk  to  the  vessel.  After  taking  a  good  meal  and  collect 
ing  their  personal  effects,  together  with  the  records  and 
collections,  they  started  at  6  p.  m.,  being  very  kindly 
assisted  by  their  new  companions.  After  a  weary  tramp 


512  Rescue  by  the  Ravenscraig. 

1 873.     over  the  floe,  rendered  worse  by  the  rotten  condition  of 

June. 

the  ice  and  by  the  soft  snow,  they  arrived  at  the  vessel  at 
midnight,  where  they  were  most  kindly  received  and  wel 
comed  by  Dr.  A.  D.  Soutter,  the  surgeon.  The  ship  lay 
in  latitude  75°  38'  K,  longitude  65°  35'  W.  She  proved 
to  be  the  Ravenscraig,  of  Kirkcaldy,  Scotland,  owned  by 
Mr.  Ninian  Lockhart,  and  commanded  by  Captain  William 
Allen. 

Every  one  on  board  did  his  utmost  to  make  the  ship 
wrecked  party  comfortable.  Dry  and  warm  clothing  was 
provided,  and  a  plentiful  table  was  spread  before  them,  far 
exceeding  anything  they  had  been  accustomed  to  for 
nearly  two  years.  They  needed  no  soporific  to  induce 
sleep  when  they  turned  into  the  welcome  bunks.  The 
Ravenscraig  not  being  built  for  carrying  passengers,  it  was 
at  first  a  question  how  the  new-comers  could  be  accom 
modated.  Scotch  hospitality,  however,  soon  devised  the 
means.  Captain  Allen  insisted  upon  Captain  Budington 
taking  his  state-room  and  sharing  his  bunk;  Mr.  Chester 
enjoyed  a  cushioned  settee  in  the  cabin;  Dr.  Bessels  occu 
pied  Dr.  Soutter's  bunk;  the  mates,  Burnet  and  Smith, 
took  care  of  Morton  and  Schumann;  when  Anderson,  the 
second  engineer,  turned  out  to  take  his  watch,  at  2  a.  m., 
Mr.  Bryan  turned  into  his  bunk  and  finished  the  night: 
forward,  the  men  were  very  kindly  cared  for,  the  seamen 
sharing  with  them  their  bunks,  fitting  up  special  ones, 


Other  Chances  of  Escape.  513 

takino-  them  into  their  messes,  and  showing  them  every     1873. 

June. 

possible  kindness  and  attention. 

The  Bavenscraig  had  been  detained  unusually  long  at 
whatisknown  as  the  "Southwest  Fishing",  just  off  the  mouth 
of  Hudson's  Straits,  and  had  come  to  Melville  Bay  too 
late  to  find  a  clear  passage.  Seven  of  the  whaling  fleet  had 
passed  through  the  bay  early  in  the  month ;  but  one  other 
Scotch  vessel,  the  Tay,  remained  behind,  her  detention 
being  occasioned  by  some  repairs  to  her  machinery.  The 
Harold,  a  Norwegian  vessel,  on  its  first  cruise,  also  passed 
through  Melville  Bay  later  in  the  season.  So  that,  if 
Captain  Budington  and  his  party  had  missed  the  Eavens 
craig,  they  would  still  have  had  a  chance  of  being  picked 
up.  They  had  never  doubted  their  ability,  however,  to 
reach  the  Danish  settlements.  It  is  true  that  the  most 
dangerous  part  of  the  voyage  was  still  before  them,  for,  as 
they  advanced,  the  ice  would  have  opened,  and  they 
would  have  been  exposed  to  the  danger  of  gales  of  wind 
and  the  heavy  seas  accompanying  them — a  danger  which 
would  have  been  very  formidable  in  their  small,  shallow, 
flat-bottomed,  unseaworthy  boats.  They  had  used  up  all 
their  fuel,  but  had  accomplished  about  one-half  the  distance, 
had  abundance  of  provisions,  and  were  becoming  inured 
to  the  labors  and  hardships  of  their  situation.  But  while 
they  were  thus  trustful  of  the  future,  they  were  supremely 
happy  in  meeting  with  the  Eavenscraig. 

33 


514  Mr.   Chester's  Boat. 

1 873.  The  watch  in  the  crow's-nest  of  the  Eavenscraig  had 

June. 

seen  Budington's  party  on  the  ice  at  5  a.  m.,  but  had  taken 
them  at  first  for  Esquimaux,  the  boats  looking  like  sleds, 
and  their  pile  of  provisions  like  a  team  of  dogs  lying  on  the 
floe.  On  getting  nearer,  the  watch  saw  the  boats  more  dis 
tinctly,  and  the  surmise  was  that  one  of  the  vessels  which 
had  preceded  the  Eavenscraig  had  been  lost,  and  that  her 
crew  was  returning  in  her  boats.  When  still  nearer,  the 
men  were  more  distinctly  seen  walking  on  the  floe,  some 
of  them  having  hats  on.  This  puzzled  the  people  of  the 
Eavenscraig,  since  all  the  Scotch  whalemen  wear  caps.  It 
was  then  suggested  that  it  might  be  some  of  the  crew  of 
the  Polaris,  but  the  idea  was  not  at  first  generally  accepted. 
They  could  not  for  a  time  make  out  the  boat  flag ;  but  they 
hoisted  their  own  flag,  and  sent  out  the  men  which  met 
the  party  from  the  boats. 

On  the  25th,  twenty  of  the  crew  of  the  Eavenscraig, 
accompanied  by  the  carpenter  and  two  other  men  of  the 
Polaris,  walked  to  the  boats,  and  brought  back  Mr.  Ches 
ter's  boat,  together  with  a  few  valuables  which  had  been 
left.  This  boat  was  a  little  damaged  by  dragging  it  over 
the  ice ;  Captain  Allen  at  once  set  his  carpenter  at  work 
to  repair  it,  and  secured  it  on  deck.  It  was  carried  to 
Dundee,  and  Mr.  Lockhart  afterward  presented  it  to  the 
Smithsonian  Institution.  It  was  brought  to  the  United 

o 

States  free  of  cost  by  the  steamer  Georgia,  of  the  State 


Lancaster  Sound.  515 

Line  Steamship  Company.     Placed  at  the  International     1873. 
Exhibition  at  Philadelphia,  May  10,  1876,  hy  the  side  of 
Kane's  boat  Faith,  it  formed  part  of  the  Arctic  collection 
furnished  for  the  Centennial  by  the  United  States  Naval 
Observatory. 

On  the  26th,  the  ice  opened  a  little,  and  the  Eavens- 
craig  steamed  slowly  for  about  four  hours ;  the  next  day 
she  succeeded  in  getting  a  few  miles  further. 

Captain  Allen  determined  to  accomplish  something 
on  the  4th,  and  the  Americans  on  board  assured  him 
that  he  would  have  good  luck  on  account  of  the  day. 
He  passed  the  day  in  the  crow's-nest,  and  kept  the  vessel 
butting  at  the  ice.  She  fought  her  way  foot  by  foot. 
When  she  was  brought  up  by  the  ice,  she  was  backed,  if 
there  was  room,  and  then  was  started  forward  at  full 
speed.  The  shock  as  she  struck  the  ice  almost  always 
started  a  crack,  and,  unless  the  floe  was  heavy,  the  ship 
buried  herself  half  her  length  in  it ;  besides  this,  the  ves 
sel  was  rolled,  the  men  running  in  a  body  from  side  to 
side.  Thus  she  made  gradual  progress  until  evening,  when 
she  came  into  open  water 

Having  reached  the  latitude  of  Conical  Bock,  she 
turned  to  the  westward,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  5th, 
made  the  west  land.  Early  on  the  6th,  she  entered  Lan 
caster  Sound  and  kept  along  the  northern  coast  until, 
passing  Cape  Warrender,  she  crossed  to  Admiralty  Inlet. 


510  Homeward  Bound. 

1873.     When  off  Cape  Crawford,  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  she 

August. 

spoke  the  steamer  Arctic,  and  received  a  visit  from  her 
commander,  Captain  William  Adams,  accompanied  by 
Captain  A.  H.  Markham,  of  the  Royal  Navy,  who  on  his 
return  referred  to  this  visit  in  his  admirable  and  popular 
work,  "A  Whaling  Cruise  to  Baffin's  Bay." 

Owing  to  the  crowded  state  of  the  Ravenscrai<r,  one- 

O  O ' 

half  of  the  Polaris  men  now  went  on  board  the  Arctic ; 
they  were  Mr.  II.  C.  Chester,  Dr.  Emil  Bessels,  Mr. 
Emil  Schumann,  Noah  Hayes,  Hermann  Siemens,  Henry 
Hobby,  and  Walter  Campbell. 

In  the  pursuit  of  his  business,  Captain  Allen  ran  into 
the  mouth  of  Barrow  Strait,  and  then  returned  to  Prince 
Eegent  Inlet. 

On  the  17th  of  July,  he  spoke  the  steamer  Intrepid, 
Captain  Soutar,  who  expressed  a  desire  to  have  some  of  the 
Polaris  men.  Accordingly,  Mr.  H.  W.  D.  Bryan,  J.  B. 
Mauch,  and  J.  W.  Booth  were  transferred  to  the  Intrepid, 
and  the  vessels  parted  company. 

The  Arctic,  having  filled  up,  turned  her  head  home 
ward  on  the  10th  of  August,  and,  on  the  20th,  the  Eav- 
enscraig  was  spoken,  and  the  four  Polaris  men  still  remain 
ing  in  her  were  transferred  to  the  Arctic;  they  were 
Captain  S.  0.  Budington,  Mr.  William  Morton,  A.  A.  Odell, 
and  N.  J.  Coffin. 

The  Intrepid  was  thought  to  be  so  far  off  from  the 


Arrival  in    Washington.  517 

Arctic  that  she  could  not  be  reached  without  the  sacri-     1873. 

September 

fice  of  too  much  time  and  fuel,  and  the  Arctic,  with 
her  eleven  Polaris  passengers,  resumed  her  voyage.  On 
the  afternoon  of  Friday,  September  19,  she  anchored  in 
Dundee. 

Captain  Budington  and  his  associates  received  every 
attention  from  William  Keid,  Esq.,  United  States  Vice-Con- 
sul. ,  By  the  courtesy  of  the  officers  of  the  Inman  Line 
of  Steamships,  they  were  offered  first-class  passage  in  the 
City  of  Antwerp,  and  sailed  from  Liverpool  on  the  23d. 
They  speak  in  the  highest  terms  of  the  kindness  of  Cap 
tain  Laver  and  his  brother  officers,  and  of  the  civilities 
received  from  the  passengers. 

On  arriving  in  New  York,  the  vessel  was  met  at 
quarantine  by  the  navy-yard  tug  Catalpa,  which  car 
ried  Captain  Budington  and  his  companions  to  the 
United  States  ship  Talapoosa  at  the  Brooklyn  navy-yard, 
in  which  vessel  they  arrived  in  Washington  on  the  7th  of 
October. 


On  the  12th  of  September,  the  party  left  on  the  Intre 
pid,  learned  that  the  Arctic  had  sailed  for  Dundee,  having 
on  board  all  their  comrades. 

On  the  13th,  the  Eric,  Captain  J.  B.  Walker,  was 
seen  to  have  her  ensign  Hying — a  signal  that  she  was 


518  Mauch  and  Booth. 

1873.     about  to  start  for  home.     The  Intrepid  ran  down  to  her 

October. 

to  send  letters,  and  on  Captain  Walker's  offering  to  take 

the  three  Polaris  men  with  him,  they  were  transferred. 

« 

They  were  treated  with  great  consideration  hy  Captain 
Walker  and  his  officers,  and  by  an  English  gentlemen, 
Mr.  J.  Rickaby,  a  passenger,  whose  courtesy  will  never 
be  forgotten. 

On  the  28th,  when  off  Cape  Dyer,  the  final  depart 
ure  was  taken  for  Scotland.  Head  winds  and  rough 
weather  kept  them  beating  about  in  Davis  Strait  for  a 

lon«;  time,  so  that  it  was  not  until  the  12th  of  October 

. 

that  they  passed  Cape  Farewell.  At  5  a.  m.  of  the  20th, 
Cape  Wrath  was  passed,  and  after  a  stormy  and  danger 
ous  voyage  they  finally  anchored  in  Dundee  at  3  a.  m.  of 
the  22d. 

They  received  every  attention  from  Mr.  Eeid,  the 
vice-consul,  and  many  kindnesses  from  the  people  of 
Dundee. 

Mauch  and  Booth,  through  the  courtesy  of  the  officers 
of  the  State  Line,  were  given  first-class  passages  in  the 
steamer  Georgia.  They  sailed  from  Glasgow  on  the  24th, 
arid  arrived  in  New  York  on  Friday,  November  7,  having 
been  very  kindly  treated  by  Captain  Cooper  and  his  officers 
and  by  the  passengers.* 

*  By  the  provisions  of  an  act  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States  June  23,  1874,  ''appropriate  compensation  and  acknowl 
edgment"  were  authorized  to  be  made  to  the  "owners,  officers,  and 


Mr.  Bryan's  Arrival. 

Mr.  Bryan,  by  means  of  a  cable  dispatch,  obtained  per 
mission  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  remain  one 
week  in  Europe.  He  visited  Edinburgh,  London,  Paris, 
and  Dublin,  and  left  Quecnstown  on  Saturday,  November 
1,  in  the  Java,  of  the  Cunard  Line,  arriving  in  New  York 
on  the  13th. 

"  sailors  of  the  British  whaling  and  sealing  steamers  which  contributed 
to  the  rescue  of  the  survivors  of  the  Polaris  ". 

On  the  report  of  a  board  of  officers  composed  of  Commanders 
G.  C.  Remey  and  G.  W.  Sumner  and  Lieutenant-Commander  H.  H. 
Gorringe,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  awarded  to  the  owners  of  the 
Ravenscraig,  Arctic,  Intrepid,  and  Eric,  compensation  for  the  sub 
sistence  they  had  supplied;  to  Captain  Allen,  the  sum  of  $800;  to  the 
owners  of  the  Ravenscraig,  a  gratuity  of  $500,  arid  to  each  of  her  men 
who  walked  on  the  ice  to  rescue  Captain  Budington's  party,  $25 :  also, 
to  Captains  Bartlett,  Adams,  Soutar,  and  Walker,  $300  each.  The  Cap 
tain  of  each  vessel  was  informed  by  the  Department  that  he  was  at  lib 
erty  to  purchase  a  gold  pocket  chronometer,  and  tohave  inscribed  thereon 
that  it  was  ua  token  of  the  gratitude  of  the  United  States  for  kindness 
to  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Polaris."  The  thanks  of  the  Government 
were  also  expressed  to  the  officers  of  the  State  and  the  Inman  Lines  of 
Steamers. 


519 


CHAPTER    XXI. 


The  narrative  returns  to  the  party  left  upon  the  floe,     1872. 

.  October. 

the  situation  of  which  has  already  heen  given.  They  were 
busily  employed  in  removing  to  a  place  of  safety  the  pro 
visions  and  stores  which  had  heen  hastily  and  indiscrimi 
nately  thrown  upon  the  ice.  Captain  George  E  Tyson, 
assistant  navigator,  had  taken  the  direction  of  this  work, 
and  it  had  been  carried  on  with  activity  and  success. 

When  the  ship  disappeared,  the  broken  pieces  floated 
off,  carrying  on  them  men,  stores,  provisions,  and  records. 
The  boats  were  at  once  launched,  and,  in  the  midst  of 
perils  and  sufferings,  these  men  were  taken  off  and 
brought  back  to  the  main  iloe ;  as  the  night  was  too 
dark  and  tempestuous  to  risk  further  the  lives  of  the 
men.  the  articles  remaining  on  the  drifting  iee  were  aban- 

'  O  O 

doned.  There  was  a  blinding  snow-drift  caused  by  the 
gale  from  the  S  W. ;  it  was  impossible  to  move  about. 
After  working  on  the  floe  till  midnight,  the  crew,  with  the 
Esquimaux  men,  women,  and  children,  huddled  together 


524 


The  People  on  the  Floe. 


1872.     under  the  insufficient  protection  of  some  musk-ox  skins. 

October. 

In  the  morning,  it  was  discovered  that  the  great  floe  had 
heen  broken  by  heavy  icebergs,  but  fortunately,  the  piece 
upon  which  the  people  had  taken  refuge  was  very  much 
the  largest 

This  party  consisted  of  the  following  nineteen  persons  : 

George  E.  Tyson,  assistant  navigator. 

Fred.  Meyer,  meteorologist. 

John  Herron,  steward. 

William  Jackson,  cook. 

J.  W.  C.  Kruger, 

Frederick  Jamka, 

William  Nindemann, 


Frederick  Aunting, 


Seamen. 


Gustavus  W.  Linquist, 

Peter  Johnson, 

Joe, 

Hannah, 

Punny, 

Hans, 

Hans'  wife, 

Augustina, 

Tobias, 

Succi, 

Hans'  baby   (Charles  Polaris), 

s 

The  provisions,  when  collected,  amounted  to  fourteen 


>  Esquimaux. 


LI  II  U  A 

N1V  i/jtslTY   OF  I 

UAliIFOKNLA 


Near  the  Land.  525 

cans  of  pemmican,  twelve  ba^s  of  bread,  eleven  dozen     1872. 

October. 

cans  of  meats  and  soups,  one  can  of  dried  apples,  fourteen 
hams,  and  a  small  bag  of  chocolate.  There  were,  more 
over,  the  two  whale-boats  of  the  Polaris  and  the  two  kyaks 
of  the  natives,  a  canvas  A-tent,  and  some  instruments  of 
navigation,  including  boat-compasses  and  a  chronometer. 

The  floe  had  been  brought  up  by  icebergs  near  Lit 
tleton  Island,  although  the  land  was  not  recognized.  So 
near  was  it,  however,  that  two  of  the  men  walked  over 
the  ice  and  visited  McGary's  Island.  Captain  Tyson  de 
termined  to  reach  the  shore  as  soon  as  possible,  in  order 
to  secure  the  assistance  of  the  Esquimaux  living  in  the 
neighborhood  in  procuring  food  and  shelter  for  his  party 
during  the  winter. 

The  men,  who  had  been  without  food  since  3  o'clock  . 
of  the  previous  day,  required  something  to  eat ;  a  fire 
was  made,  some  of  the  canned  meat  was  cooked,  and 
chocolate  or  coffee  was  imperfectly  prepared.  After  break 
fast,  they  took  to  the  boats,  intending  to  make  for  the  land 
and  search  for  the  Polaris,  carrying  with  them  some  of 
their  stores,  and  meaning  to  return  for  the  things  left  be 
hind  ;  but,  in  the  mean  time,  a  breeze  from  the  N.  E.  hav 
ing  sprung  up,  they  found  it  impossible  to  get  through  the 
loose  ice,  and  were  obliged  to  haul  the  boats  up  again. 
Soon  after  this,  the  Polaris  was  seen  rounding  a  point, 
eight  or  ten  miles  distant,  under  steam  and  sail.  Signals 


526  The  Polaris  Sighted. 

1872.     Were  made  by  hoisting  the  colors  and  by  showing  a  piece 

October. 

of  dark  India-rubber  cloth,  and  the  motions  of  the  ship 
were  anxiously  watched  through  a  spy-glass ;  but  neither 
the  signals  nor  the  men  were  seen  by  the  Polaris.  The 
ship  stood  along  the  shore,  and  dropped  out  of  sight  behind 
an  island  or  a  headland.  This  was  not  owing  to  any  want 
of  attention  on  the  part  of  Captain  Budington  or  of  his 
officers.  A  careful  lookout  was  kept  on  board  the  Polaris 
all  day.  Mr.  Chester  particularly  says  : — "I  was  up  and 
down  the  masthead  all  day  every  ten  or  fifteen  minutes, 
until  we  got  near  the  land.  I  went  up  there  to  look  for 
our  lost  parties,  but  I  could  not  see  them  at  all." 

Wanting  some  poles  for  a  house,  or  tent,  Captain 
Tyson  sent  some  of  the  men  to  the  other  side  of  the  floe, 
where  he  knew  they  would  be  found.  Here  the  vessel 
was  again  seen.  On  this  being  reported  to  Captain  Tyson, 
he  took  his  spy-glass,  and,  going  to  the  point,  thought  he 
saw  her  tied  up  to  the  bay-ice.  At  this  time  the  floe, 
which  had  been  stationary  between  two  grounded  ice 
bergs,  began  to  drift.  He  determined  to  make  another 
effort  to  reach  the  ship,  hauling  one  boat  across  the  floe, 
and  then  taking  to  the  water;  but  the  setting-in  of  the  ice 
and  the  northeast  gale  defeated  this  project.  He  was 
compelled  to  haul  the  boat  back  on  the  ice,  and  to  leave 
her  where  she  was,  with  provisions,  clothing,  and  a  com 
pass  in  her.  During  the  night,  the  gale,  accompanied 


The   West  Land.  527 

with  snow,  broke  up  the  ice.  separating  the  party  from      1872. 

October. 

this  boat.  The  piece  on  which  they  were  left  was  only 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  across  each  way. 

The  gale  continued  through  the  17th,  moderating 
early  on  the  18th.  They  had  drifted  rapidly  away  from 
the  land,  and  when  it  cleared,  they  found  that  they  were 
not  far  from  the  west  coast. 

Before,  however,  the  ice  was  sufficiently  firm  to  afford 
them  a  passage  to  the  land,  a  gale  from  the  8.  W. 
sprang  up,  which  drove  the  small  cake  of  ice  upon  which 
they  were,  rapidly  toward  the  eastern  coast.  The  gale 
continued  through  the  19th,  but  the  20th  was  moderately 
calm,  with  a  very  thick  snow-storm. 

Esquimaux  Joe  says  that,  after  being  driven  near  the 
west  coast  on  the  night  of  the  16th,  the  ice-floe  party  re 
mained  in  that  neighborhood  for  about  two  weeks,  the  ice 
being  very  closely  packed  and  stationary.  During  this 
time,  he  and  Hans  visited  the  west-land.  Early  in  No 
vember,  the  ice  began  to  drift,  and  moved  over  toward 
Northumberland  Island,  which  was  passed  at  no  great  dis 
tance.  They  then  drifted  to  the  eastward  of  the  Carey 
Islands. 

Joe  caught  one  seal  on  the  18th,  and  two  on  the 
19th,  after  which,  as  long  as  these  lasted,  the  floe  party 
.had  two  meals  a  day,  consisting  each  of  a  small  piece  of 
seal-meat,  the  soup  made  from  this  meat,  and  about  one 


528  The  Boat  Recovered. 

1872.     ounce  of  bread.     The  provisions  were  kept  in  a  store- 
October. 

house,  and  served  out  by  weight,  the  allowance  being 

eleven  ounces  per  day.  The  lamp,  wrhich,  after  the  fuel 
gave  out,  came  to  be  exclusively  used  for  warming  and 
cooking,  was  an  imitation  of  the  ordinary  lamp  of  the 
natives.  Their  stone  lamp  is  hollowed  out  like  a  shallow 
dish,  with  an  inverted  edge,  on  which  a  little  moss  is 
placed  for  wick,  which,  when  lighted,  tries  out  the  oil 
contained  in  the  blubber;  and  this  is  all  the  fire  the  Es 
quimaux  have,  either  for  heating  or  cooking,  or  for  drying 
clothing.  The  lamp  used  by  the  floe  party  was  made 
from  a  pemmican  can,  canvas  being  used  for  a  wick. 
Three  snow-huts  were  built,  under  the  direction  of  Joe 
and  Hans,  by  the  crew :  one  for  the  crew,  including  an 
additional  apartment  for  Captain  Tyson  and  Mr.  Meyer; 
one  for  Joe  and  his  family ;  and  one  for  Hans  and  his  chil- 

• 

dren. 

On  the  23d,  Joe  exclaimed,  "I  see  the  boat!"  With 
the  aid  of  glasses,  it  was  easily  made  out.  Immediately 
after  breakfast,  at  which  an  extra  allowance  of  bread  was 
issued  as  a  preparation,  an  attempt  was  made  to  recover 
the  boat,  and,  if  possible,  the  tent  and  bread ;  it  was  suc 
cessful,  and  resulted  in  bringing  back  not  only  the  boat, 
but  two  compasses,  one  can  of  pemmican,  twenty-seven 
two-pound  cans  of  preserved  meats,  and  six  bags  of  bread, 
containing  in  all  probably  eight  hundred  pounds. 


The  Floe  Drifting.  529 

On  the  27th,  the  sun  had  nearly  disappeared,  10'  only     187». 

November. 

of  its  disk  bein    visible  at  noon. 


During  the.  remainder  of  the  month  of  October,  the 
house  which  had'  been  built  on  the  old  floe  was  cut  down  and 
brought  over  on  two  separate  expeditions;  also  the  canvas 
and  bags  of  coal  which  had  been  left  there.  Finally,  it  was 
determined  to  go  back  to  the  original  floe,  and,  with  the 
indispensable  help  of  Joe  and  Hans,  on  the  first  days  of 
November,  everything  was  transported  except  one  of  the 
kyaks  which  was  lost.  Captain  Tyson  took  up  his  lodg 
ing  with  Esquimaux  Joe,  while  Mr.  Meyer  lived  jwith  the 
men. 

On  the  3d,  the  weather  was  thick  with  snow  ;  the 
floe  was  supposed  to  be  adrift,  and  the  hopes  of  getting 
back  to  the  Polaris  were  nearly  abandoned. 

On  the  4th,  it  cleared  up,  and  it  could  be  seen  that  the 
floe  was  entirely  surrounded  by  water,  and  was  drifting  to 
the  southward.  Mr.  Meyer  says,  in  his  journal,  that  the 
party  was  now  below  Wolstenholme  Sound  ;  this  seems 
hardly  probable,  however,  when  the  short  time  during 
which  the  floe  had  been  adrift  is  taken  into  account. 
Joe  and  Hans  went  out  this  day  hunting,  but  returned 
without  game.  An  addition  was  made  to  the  stock  of 
wood  by  recovering  some,  near  where  the  big  canvas  hut 
had  stood.  The  old  allowance  of  three-fourths  of  a  pound 
of  food  was  resumed. 

34 


530  Hans   Taken  for  a  Bear. 

1872.         On  the  5th  and  6th.  the  weather  continued  clear,  the  floe 

November. 

drifted  as  before,  and  Joe  returned  with  a  seal,  which  was 
very  welcome.  On  the  7th,  the  clear  weather  changed  to 
snow,  and  during  this  day  and  the  8th  and  9th,  the  party 
were  shut  up  in  their  snow- houses,  with  the  exception  of 
Joe  and  Hans,  who  went  out  hunting  without  success.  On 
the  10th,  the  party  supposed  themselves  to  be  below  Carey 
Islands.  Joe  and  Hans  went  out  hunting,  Joe  returning 
before  dark  without  Hans.  Kruger  and  Joe  went  in  search 
of  him  after  8  p.  m.,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to  find  him. 
He  had  lost  his  way,  having  left  the  floe  in  pursuit  of  game, 
and  being  unable  to  retrace  his  steps.  When  Kruger  and 
Joe  found  him,  they  mistook  him  for  a  bear,  and  got  ready 
to  fire  at  him — a  mistake  into  which  they  were  easily  misled 
by  his  fur  clothing  covered  with  snow,  and  his  attitudes  in 
climbing  over  the  hummocks.  The  night  was  a  very  rough 
one,  the  wind  strong,  and  the  snow  drifting ;  if  they  had 
not  met  Hans,  he  might  have  perished. 

Nothing  is  recorded  during  the  llth  and  12th,  except 
the  state  of  the  weather  which  was  variable,  and  the  con 
tinual  drifting  of  the  floe.  On  the  13th,  it  was  thick  and 

c?  ' 

snowing ;  but  another  load  of  wood  was  obtained  from  the 
place  of  the  old  house,  and  another  igloo  was  begun  for  the 
storing  of  the  provisions. 

From  the  13th  to  the  21st,  it  was  for  the  most  part 
clear.  On  the  15th,  five  of  the  dogs  were  shot,  after  suf- 


The  Sufferings  of  the  Men.  531 

ferinff  very  much  from  hunger;    the  natives  not  having      1872. 

5  November. 

caught  many  seals,  it  was  impossible  to  feed  them. 

On  the  19th,  Captain  Tyson  was  quite  sick  with  rheu 
matism. 

The  natives  saw  two  bear-tracks  and  five  seal-holes. 
On  the  21st,  they  brought  in  two  seals,  without  which  it 
would  have  been  impossible  to  have"  any  fire ;  one  boat 
had  already  been  cut  up.  During  this  month,  the  darkness 
interfered  with  hunting,  and  on  some  days  the  total  want 
of  light  rendered  it  absolutely  impossible ;  besides,  when 
heavy  winds  prevailed,  the  party  was  often  blockaded  by 
the  snow-drifts. 

The  effects  of  exposure  and  want  of  food  began  to 
show  themselves ;  some  of  the  men  trembled  when  they 
tried  to  walk;  the  children  often  cried  with  hunger  al 
though  all  was  given  to  them  that  could  possibly  be 
spared.  The  seals  brought  in  were  received  with  grati 
tude  ;  the  invaluable  success  of  Joe  and  Hans  was  fully 
appreciated ;  without  them,  the  chances  of  life  would  have 
been  very  much  diminished.  So  keen  had  the  appetites  of 
the  party  become  that  the  seal-meat  was  eaten  uncooked, 
with  the  skin  and  hair  on. 

On  a  clear  day,  there  were  three  hours  of  light  resem 
bling  twilight.  Bear-tracks  were  again  seen,  but,  unfor 
tunately,  not  the  bears  themselves.  At  this  date,  only 
four  dogs  remained,  and  they  were  lean  and  weak. 


532  Thanksgiving  Day. 

1872.  Qn  the  22d  Joe  shot  a  seal,  and  on  the  23d,  Hans 

November. 

shot  another.  These  two  days  were  clear  and  cold,  with 
a  light  north  wind;  the  stars  were  visible  at  mid-day 
even  when  the  moon  was  shining.  Captain  Tyson  speaks 
in  his  journal  at  this  time  of  the  effect  of  continued  hunger 
in  keeping  the  mind  constantly  dwelling  upon  food. 

The  28th  was  Thanksgiving  Day,  and  some  little 
addition  was  made  to  the  usual  allowance.  A  can  of 
dried  apples  had  been  reserved  for  the  day;  to  this  was 
added  chocolate  and  a  few  biscuits.  These  were  the 
delicacies ;  but,  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  hunger, 
it  was  necessary  to  resort  to  the  seal,  of  which,  with 
out  entering  into  details  it  may  be  said  a  substan 
tial  repast  was  made.  This  was  the  breakfast.  For 
the  dinner,  six  biscuits,  a  pound  of  canned  meat, 
one  small  can  of  mock- turtle  soup,  and  one  can  of 
corn,  divided  among  four  persons,  formed  an  extra  allow 
ance. 

The  30th  was  a  cloudy  day,  with  a  westerly  wind. 
Land  in  the  neighborhood  of  Lancaster  Sound  was  seen 
by  Meyer,  bearings  S.  E.  or  S.  Captain  Tyson  again 
visited  the  site  of  the  canvas  house  to  get  canvas  to 
line  Hans'  igloo  and  make  it  more  comfortable  for  the 
women  and  children. 

The  month  of  December  opened  with  clear  and  calm 
weather  and  a  low  temperature.  The  most  important 


Northern  Lights.  533 

event  of  the  first  day  was  the  meeting  of  a  bear  by  Fred-     1872. 

December. 

erick  Aunting,  which  he  did  not  dare  to  approach,  having 
no  confidence  in  his  gun. 

On  the  2d,  land  was  again  seen.  The  glimmering 
twilight  was  now  reduced  to  two  hours — from  1 1  a.  m.  to 
1  p.  m. — appearing  as  a  streak  of  light  to  the  south. 
Hans  was  sick,  and  Joe  went  out  sealing,  notwithstanding 
the  increasing  darkness,  but  found  no  water.  From  the 
3d  to  the  6th  inclusive,  the  wind  continued  to  blow  from 
the  1SL  W. ;  it  was,  however,  very  light,  and  the  tem 
perature  ranged  from  — 1°  to  — 15°.  A  white  fox,  which 
had  often  ventured  near  the  encampment,  was  shot  on  the 
5th. 

On  the  6th,  there  was  a  remarkable  display  of  north 
ern  lights;  the  luminous  streamers  which  rose  to  a  height 
of  about  30°,  shot  up  from  the  usual  dark  base  at  the  hori 
zon. 

On  the  7th,  it  was  cloudy  in  the  morning ;  toward 
evening  the  clouds  dispersed.  A  clear  sky  and  a  well- 
defined  ice- horizon  enabled  Mr.  Meyer  to  take  an  altitude 
of  y  Cassiopeise,  which  gave  him  the  result  of  74°  4'  N. 
as  an  approximation  to  the  real  latitude,  and  the  meridian 
passage  of  the  same  star  furnished  an  approximation  to 
the  longitude— 67°  53'  W. 

Life  upon  the  floe  was  very  simple.  Most  of  the 
time  was  passed  in  the  snow-huts.  It  was  too  dark  to 


534  A  Day's  Ration. 

1872.     walk  about,  even  if  there  had  been  a  motive;  and  it  was 

December. 

also  too  cold.  Asa  matter  of  economy,  exercise,  which 
creates  hunger,  was  avoided;  to  keep  warm  and  still,  was 
found  to  be  the  most  agreeable  mode  of  passing  the  time, 
and  the  best  suited  to  their  circumstances. 

The  allowance  of  food  was  given  out  in  ounces.  A 
day's  ration  consisted  of  six  ounces  of  bread,  eight  of 
canned  meat,  and  two  of  ham  for  the  grown  persons, 
with  one-half  as  much  for  the  children.  These  materials 
were  mixed  with  indifferent  water,  and  w7armed  over  the 
lamp,  and  even  this  quota  was  more  than  could  be  well 
spared  from  the  remaining  stores.  The  measurement  of 
the  supplies  was  made  by  an  ingenious  contrivance  of  Mr. 
Meyer,  which  he  thus  describes: — 

*'I  constructed  a  scale  by  connecting  a  fine  three- 
cornered  scale  (rule)  with  a  lever  balance  taken  from  a 
broken  aneroid,  and  attaching  to  the  ends  of  the  scale  on 
cords  two  pasteboard  boxes  of  equal  weight.  The  weights 
I  formed  of  chamois  skin  and  shot,  taking  as  a  unit  the 
weight  of  the  meat  contained  in  a  one-pound  can,  and 
successively  dividing  it  into  half-pounds,  four  ounces,  two 
ounces,  and  one  ounce." 

Great  reliance,  however,  was  placed  on  the  success 
of  Joe  and  Hans  in  hunting.  While  the  darkness  lasted, 
very  few  seals  could  be  caught;  but  it. was  reasonably 
expected  that,  when  the  period  of  daylight  became  longer, 


Christmas.  535 

not  only  seals,  but  bears,  and  foxes  in  tbeir  trails,  would  be     1872. 

December. 

killed. 

The  remainder  of  tbe  month  of  December  was  at 
tended  with  few  events  of  interest.  The  weather  at  times 
was  very  cold,  the  thermometer  falling  as  low  as  -—26°, 
and  rising  on  one  day,  the  21st,  to  9°;  the  mean  being 
about  — 5°.7.  On  the  10th  of  the  month,  the  light  had 
increased  so  that  the  thermometer  could  be  accurately 
read.  On  the  llth,  Hans,  with  the  usual  skill  of  a  native, 
caught  a  white  fox  by  means  of  a  trap.  The  journals  of 
these  days  speak  of  auroral  streamers  and  coronas,  and  of 
the  brilliancy  of  the  deep  winter  nights. 

The  festival  of  Christmas  was  celebrated  by  an  extra 
meal.  At  breakfast,  an  additional  ounce,  of  bread  made 
the  soup  a  little  thicker  than  usual.  At  dinner,  there  was 
a  soup  made  of  seal's  blood,  a  can  of  sausage-meat  and  a 
can  of  apples,  half  a  pound  of  ham  and  two  ounces  of 
bread.  Herron  says,  in  his  journal,  it  was  the  sweetest 
meal  he  ever  ate.  In  the  evening,  they  had  their  usual 
thin  soup.  The  next  day  was  very  stormy ;  a  severe  gale 
blew,  accompanied  by  a  snow-storm  with  heavy  drift. 
The  latter  part  of  the  month  held  out  the  promise  of  bet 
ter  things,  as  Joe  shot  two  seals,  one  of  which  he  secured 
by  means  of  his  kyak,  for  which  he  had  shouted  to  the 
men,  who  brought  it  over  the  floe  to  him.  It  gave  them 
all  a  hearty  meal  for  that  day,  and  sent  them  to  bed 


536  New    Year's  Day. 

1873.     thankful   and   trustful.     The   blubber  furnished   fuel   for 

January. 

warming  food  for  the  three  weeks  following.  The  month 
ended  with  calm  and  clear,  but  very  cold,  weather ;  the 
lowest  temperature  of  the  31st  being  — 23°. 

The  first  day  of  the  new  year  was  sad  and  dreary 
enough.  It  was  the  coldest  day  as  yet  experienced  on  the 
iloe,  and  the  men  had  never  been  in  so  bad  a  condition 
for  food.  In  one  of  the  journals,  the  dinner  on  New  Year's 
Day  is  described  as  "  moldy  bread  and  short  allowance." 
Captain  Tyson  says  in  his  journal,  "I  have  dined  to-day  on 
about  two  feet  of  frozen  entrails  and  a  little  blubber."  And 
he  adds,  "I  only  wish  we  had  plenty  even  of  that." 
There  was  also  a  little  pemmican  soup.  The  weather  was 
clear  and  calm.  The  natives  went  out  on  their  daily  hunt, 
but  found  nothing;  there  was  no  open  water.  On  the 
second  day  of  the  month,  the  temperature  rose  a  little ;  the 
•  wind  was  light  and  the  sky  hazy.  On  the  3d,  Joe  found 
three  seal-holes;  but,  owing  to  the  intense  cold,  he  was 
unable  to  watch  by  them.  The  temperature  was  the  same 
as  the  day  before ;  but  the  wind,  which  was  very  strong 
from  the  N.  W.,  made  the  cold  insupportable,  even  by  the 
Esquimaux.  This  weather  continued  through  the  4th; 
but,  on  the  5th,  the  wind  moderated,  while  the  tempera 
ture  remained  at  the  same  point,  — 24°.  On  this  day,  two 
bear-tracks  were  seen,  but  the  animals  unfortunately  could 
not  be  discovered. 


Position  Determined.  537 

On  the  6th,  the  day  was  varied  by  Mr.  Meyer's  tak-     1873. 

January. 

ing  the  meridian  altitudes  of  Polaris  and  of  y  Cassiopeise. 
The  approximate  latitude  (the  declination  being  taken 
from  a  star-chart)  given  by  Polaris  was  72°  03'  30"  K ; 
by  y  Cassiopeia,  72°  11'  N.;  the  mean,  72°  07'.  15"  K: 
approximate  longitude  by  y  Cassiopeise  (right  ascension 
taken  from  star-chart),  60°  40'  45"  W.  The  firewood 
being  entirely  used,  the  meals  were  now  warmed  neces 
sarily  by  the  lamp  made  in  imitation  of  the  Esquimaux 
lamp,  as  previously  described. 

From  the  7th  to  the  13th  inclusive,  the  weather  was 
every  day,  with  one  exception,  clear  with  light  winds  and 
calms ;  but  during  all  this  time  the  thermometer  was  very 
low,  not  rising  above  — 25°,  and  descending  on  the  13th, 
to  — 40°.  During  this  excessive  cold,  when  the  mercury 
froze,  the  distant  land  was  the  only  thing  discernible ; 
there  was  no  open  water,  and  therefore  no  seals  to  be  se 
cured.  .  The  rapid  consumption  of  the  provisions,  notwith 
standing  the  short  allowance  on  which  the  party  had  been 
placed,  was  telling  severely  upon  the  strength,  spirits,  and 
power  of  endurance  of  most  of  them.  The  situation  was 
every  day  becoming  more  anxious,  but  the  rapidity  of  the 
drift,  as  shown  by  Mr.  Meyer's  last  observations,  and  the 
supposed  approach  to  the  western  coast  of  Greenland, 
were  hopeful,  and  were  something  of  a  set-off  against  the 
surrounding  perils.  John  Herron,  the  steward,  was  so 


538  The  Sun  Appears. 

1873.     much  elated  that  he  treated  himself  to  an  extra  pipe  of 

January* 

tobacco,  notwithstanding  that  his  supply  was  getting  very 
short. 

On  the  14th,  the  cold  moderated,  and  the  thermome 
ter  rose  to  16°  and  13°  below  zero;  this  diminution  of 
the  cold  wTas  accompanied  by  an  increase  of  wind  and 
drifting  snow.  The  same  weather  continued  through  the 
15th.  The  interesting  event  of  that  day  was  an  encoun 
ter  between  the  two  remaining  dogs  and  two  bears,  in 
which  the  latter,  as  might  be  expected,  got  the  better  of 
their  opponents.  The  temperature  fell  again  on  the  16th 
to  — 31°.  But  this  was  a  happy  day — Hans  shot  a  seal, 
which,  besides  the  fresh  food,  supplied  the  means  of  creating 
warmth  for  eight  days,  and  but  for  which  the  party  would 
have  been  soon  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  living  on  three- 
fourths  of  a  pound  of  dry  cold  provisions,  a  day.  One  or 
two  of  the  men  had  a  slight  touch  of  the  scurvy. 

On  the  17th,  the  calm  changed  to  a  strong  wind  from 
the  N.  W.,  with  thick  and  drifting  snow ;  the  thermome 
ter  fell  to  — 35°.  On  the  next  day,  the  weather  was  in 
general  the  same;  but,  on  the  19th,  it  cleared  up,  and  the 
great  event  occurred  of  the  sun's  re-appearance  after  an 
absence  of  83  days.  His  return  not  only  brought  the 
cheerful  light  of  day  with  all  its  good  effects  upon  health 
and  spirits,  but  a  better .  assurance  of  safety  by  the  aid 
which  it  gave  to  the  hunters  on  whom  the  party  depended 


Seals  Caught.  539 

for  the  means  of  their  subsistence.     The  sun  would  have 


January. 

been  seen  the  day  before  but  for  the  interposition  of  huge 
icebergs. 

Another  happy  event  was  the  killing  of  two  seals, 
one  of  whicli  was  secured  by  Joe  and  Hans,  who  were 
obliged  to  go  about  six  miles  to  the  open  water.  Many 
other  seals  were  seen.  The  Esquimaux  had  previously 
said,  that,  although  they  had  often  suffered  before  for  the 
w^ant  of  food,  they  had  never  encountered  so  severe  an 
experience  as  that  through  which  they  were  passing. 

During  the  remainder  of  this  month,  the  circumstances 
of  the  party  on  the  ice-floe  were  improved  by  the  frequent 
successes  of  Joe  and  Hans  in  taking  seals  ;  they  caught 
one  seal  on  the  23d,  one  on  the  24th,  and  one  on  the  26th. 
These  were  the  most  important  events,  during  this  period 
of  eleven  days  The  temperature  was  very  low,  the  mean 
being  35°  below  zero,  and  the  extreme  being  at  and  below 
the  temperature  of  freezing  mercury.  Of  the  dogs,  but 
one  remained.  On  the  27th,  Mr.  Meyer  determined  his 
position  in  the  same  manner  as  before,  and  obtained  the 
latitude  of  69°  32'  N.  and  the  longitude  of  60°  03'  W. 

Poor  little  Tobias,  one  of  Hans'  younger  children, 
who  had  been  sick  for  some  time,  was  becoming  worse  : 

O  ' 

being  an  Esquimaux,  he  could  eat  seal-meat,  but  he 
refused  pemmican  ;  his  condition  excited  compassion. 


540  The  Kyak  on  the  Ice. 

1873.  The  first  two  days  of  February  were  dismal  indeed. 

February. 

The  wind  blew  with  violence  from  the  north  and  west,  the 
snow  drifted  heavily,  and  the  temperature  varied  from 
— 1 6°  to  — 22°.  The  floe-party  had  nothing  to  eat  but  their 
scanty  allowance.  The  Esquimaux  could  find  no  water, 
and,  therefore,  no  seals,  and  the  sufferings  of  the  children 
from  hunger  were  painful  to  witness.  The  third  and  fourth 
days  were  not  much  better,  except  that  the  northwest  gale 
abated,  and  the  thermometer  on  the  4th,  rose  to  — 10°. 
On  the  5th,  the  weather  again  moderated.  The  wind 
came  from  the  southward  and  westward,  and  Hans 
brought  home  one  seal ;  he  had  shot  two  others,  but  lost 
them  in  the  young  ice.  This  providential  relief  restored 
in  some  measure  the  spirits  of  the  party ;  one  of  them 
observes  in  his  journal  that  the  seals  seemed  to  come  at 
the  moment  of  extreme  necessity.  This  animal  was  a 
very  litttle  one,  but  he  furnished  them  the  best  meal 
which  they  had  known  for  many  days.  Captain  Tyson 
gives  an  account  of  the  manner  in  which  this  seal  was 
secured.  There  was  no  water,  but  young  ice  only,  through 
which  the  seal  had  thrust  his  head,  and  thus  afforded  Joe 
the  opportunity  of  shooting  at  the  animal  which  was  at  a 
distance  of  sixty  yards  from  the  firm  ice.  Then  Hans 
got  into  the  kyak,  and  Captain  Tyson  giving  him  a  start 
by  pushing  it  on  to  the  young  ice,  he  worked  his  way  by 
sticking  his  paddle  into  the  ice,  and  by  violent  motions  of 


Narwhals  Seen.  541 

the  body.     The  ice  would  have  broken  under  the  tread  of     1873. 

February. 

a  man,  but  it  sustained  the  weight  of  a  kyak  with  a  man 
in  it.  In  this  way,  he'  reached  the  seal,  and  having  made 
a  line  fast  to  its  head,  he  returned  to  the  shore,  working 
his  way  in  the  same  manner.  When  he  landed,  he  was 
perspiring  freely,  the  thermometer  standing  at  — 17°. 

Mr.  Meyer  by  an  observation  of  the  sun  determined 
the  approximate  latitude  to  be  08°  50'. 

On  the  6th,  Joe  and  Hans  renewed  their  hunt,  but 
in  vain ;  there  was  a  heavy  snow-drift,  and  the  tempera 
ture  rose  to  — 5°.  The  7th  was  a  fair  day,  with  a 
moderate  wind,  and  Hans,  by  good  fortune,  again  shot  a 
seal.  Narwhals  were  seen  and  fired  at ;  one,  large  enough 
to  have  furnished  a  month's  supply  of  food,  was  killed  by 
Joe,  but  immediately  sank.  It  appears  -that  this  was  their 
time  for  going  north. 

From  the  8th  to  the  12th  the  wind  was  very  fresh, 
and  accompanied  by  thick  and  drifting  snow.  Many 
narwhals  were  now  seen  daily,  and  several  were  shot,  but 
none  secured.  On  the  10th,  Joe  caught  two  seals. 
Kruger,  who  had  been  ill  with  the  diarrhea,  was  recover 
ing  ;  Mr.  Meyer  was  taken  with  the  same  disease. 

The  day  now  lasted  eight  hours — from  8  a.  m.  to 
4  p.  m.  The  13th  was  another  cold  day,  with  the 
wind  blowing  a  gale  from  the  N.  W.,  accompanied,  as 
before,  by  snow-drift.  The  natives  went  out  hunting;  Joe 


542  The   West  Coast  in  Sight. 

1878.     returned    empty-handed,  but,   on   the    next   day,  Hans 

February. 

caught  a  seal ;  and  a  fox  was  seen  near  the  huts,  not, 
however,  within  range.  The  15th  was  cold  and  stormy, 
and  the  same  may  he  said  of  the  16th.  On  the  morning 
of  the  17th,  Captain  Tyson,  with  Joe  and  Hans,  set  out 
on  a  hunt  at  sunrise.  Hans  had  the  good  fortune  to  kill 
a  seal  when  it  came  up  to  its  water-hole ;  it  was  soon 
skinned  and  dressed,  and,  though  small,  was  very  wel 
come  ;  three  dovekies,  weighing  about  four  ounces  each,  were 
also  shot.  On  the  18th,  a  constant  gale  from  the  west,  and 
drifting  snow  still  continued,  so  that  there  was  little  chance 
for  the  hunters.  On  the  19th,  the  west  coast  was  in  sight. 
It  was  a  pleasant  day,  and  Captain  Tyson,  with  Joe  and 
Hans,  again  set  off  to  hunt,  Joe  shooting  the  only  seal 
which  was  seen ;  it  was  small,  but  each  share  of  it,  when 
served  out,  was  accompanied  by  the  tenth  of  a  pound  of 
bread.  On  the  20th,  'eleven  dovekies  were  shot.  On 
this  day,  there  remained  only  two  bags  of  bread  and  three 
cans  of  pemmican.  The  time  was  fast  coming  when  Hans 
and  Joe  would  be  the  sole  dependence  for  the  means  of 
supporting  life. 

On  the  21st,  the  thermometer  rose  above  zero  for  the 
first  time  since  the  beginning  of  the  year.  One  seal  and 
two  narwhals  were  seen,  but  none  of  them  could  be 
secured.  On  this  day,  the  second  meal  consisted  of  a 
dovekie  and  a  piece  of  blubber.  The  situation  became 


Waning  Strength.  543 

every  day  more  alarming.     Captain  Tyson  mentions  an     1873. 

February. 

incident  which  displayed  the  loss  of  strength  consequent 
upon  their  privation  and  suffering.  He  shot  a  seal  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  quarters.  Several  men  who 
helped  to  bring  forward  the  kyak  were  overcome  by  the 
exertion ;  yet  the  kyak  is  so  light  that  it  can  be  easily 
raised  from  the  ground  by  one  man  in  ordinary  health. 
Nindemann  shot  two  dovekies ;  he  fell  through  the  ice  in 
securing  them,  and  had  to  swim  for  it.  About  this  time, 
preparations  were  made  for  an  attempt  to  reach  the  land, 
which  was  finally  abandoned.  The  daily  rations  were 
reduced  to  seven  ounces,  so  that  the  supplies  might  hold 
out  till  April. 

The  23d  was  stormy;  the  wind  at  the  N.  W.,  with 
snow.  The  temperature  was  regarded  as  even  warm ; 
it  was  26°. 

On  the  24th,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  move, 
even  if  the  purpose  of  reaching  the  land  had  not  been 
given  up.  The  light  snow  which  had  fallen  in  the  night 
seriously  obstructed  traveling,  and  made  it  impossible  to 
drag  the  boat.  The  estimates  of  the  distance  from  land 
differed:  some  supposed  it  to  be  thirty  miles  off;  others, 
twenty.  If  the  Esquimaux  had  been  left  to  follow  their 
own  counsels,  they  would  have  started  for  land  as  soon  as 
seen.  The  men  appear  to  have  been  very  grateful  for 
their  invaluable  services,  and  acknowledged  that  they 


544  Dovekies  Killed. 

1873.     owed  to  them,  under  God,  their  lives  and  good  health. 

march. 

Joe  caught  a  small  seal  this  day  again,  making  the  eighth 
this  month,  The  unusual  brilliancy  of  the  northern  lights 
is  mentioned  in  one  of  the  journals. 

From  the  25th  to  the  28th  inclusive,  the  condition 
of  the  party  was  constantly  growing  worse.  Some  seal- 
holes  and  seals  were  seen,  but  none  of  the  animals  were 
taken.  At  one  time  the  temperature  went  below  zero, 
but  rose  a^ain  with  the  sun. 

o 

The  provisions  were  again  reduced  one-half — to  a 
few  ounces  a  day — the  smallest  quantity  with  which  life 
could  be  sustained.  A  bear-track  was  seen  on  the  28th, 
but  it  was  lost  where  the  animal  broke  the  ice  and  swam 
across  a  crack.  On  the  same  day  the  eyes  of  the  sufferers 
were  gladdened  by  the  sight  of  thirty-seven  dovekies, 
brought  in  by  the  hunters.  Two  were  given  to  each  of 
the  men,  and  one  apiece  to  the  children ;  everything  was 
eaten  but  the  feathers ;  with  these  dovekies  no  bread  was 
served  out. 

The  month  of  March  opened  with  great  severity.  On 
the  morning  of  the  1st,  the  thermometer  was  34°  below 
zero.  Notwithstanding  this,  the  sportsmen  went  out  and 
shot  sixty-six  dovekies.  This  sounds  a  great  deal  better 
than  it  really  was,  for  it  took  twenty  or  thirty  of  those  birds 
to  make  a  moderate  meal.  They  are  not  like  the  seal, 
calorific ;  but  they  saved  the  bread. 


An   Ookgook  Caught.  545 

"Peter  (Johnson)",  says  Herron  in  his  journal,  "fa-     1873. 

ITIarch. 

vors  us  with  a  sailor's  yarn  when  we  lie  down  at  night, 
provided  we  have  had  a  meal  of  seal-meat;  on  other 
nights,  we  are  quiet  enough."  Joe  wasted  powder  and 
shot  on  some  narwhals,  failing,  as  usual,  to  kill  them. 

The  thermometer  still  continued  low,  having  gone 
up  to  — 31°  on  the  2d  of  the  month;  hut  the  day  was 
marked  by  a  very  happy  event.  At  5  p.  m.,  Joe  shot  a 
large  ookgook,  measuring  nine  feet  including  the  hind 
flipper,  the  only  one  of  the  species  seen  that  day.  The  help 
of  all  the  men  was  required  to  bring  him  home.  Dragging 
the  animal  to  their  quarters,  and  thanking  God  for  his 
mercy,  made  the  occupation  of  that  Sunday ;  this  valua 
ble  accession  to  their  stores  caused  every  one  to  feel  well 
and  happy.  Hannah  had  only  two  small  pieces  of 
blubber  left  for  her  lamp  for  two  days,  and  Hans  had 
only  enough  for  one  day  when  this  monster  was  taken, 
which,  it  was  estimated,  would  yield  thirty  gallons  of 
oil. 

It  began  to  blow  in  the  evening,  and  the  next  day  a 
strong  wind  from  the  N".  W.  prevailed,  with  thick  weather 
and  drifting  snow ;  even  the  natives  could  not  go  out, 
but,  happily,  there  was  no  necessity  for  so  doing,  for  they 
were  well  supplied,  and  could  rest  many  days  without  the 
fear  of  starvation.  It  was  very  natural  that,  after  such 
long  fasting,  the  men  should  indulge  their  appetites  freely, 

35 


54G  Feasting. 

1873      too  freely  even  for  their  health  and  comfort,  especially  as 

IHarch. 

they  ate  ookgook  only,  the  bread  and  pemmican  being 
judiciously  reserved.  Those  suffered  most  who  ate  the 
liver  of  the  animal,  of  the  consequences  of  which  they 
were  warned  by  Captain  Tyson.  Most  of  them  were  sick 
for  a  week,  and  lost  the  skin  of  their  faces,hands,  and  chests. 
Since  all  this  feasting  was  done  inside  the  snow-houses,  it 
was  not  strange  that  the  latter  were  smeared  with  blood. 
So  crazy  were  the  appetites  of  the  men  that  their  hands 
and  faces  were  soon  covered  with  blood,  and  the  party  are 
described  as  looking  more  like  carnivorous  animals  than 
human  beings.  Among  the  different  modes  of  preparing 
the  food,  a  favorite  one  was  making  a  species  of  sausage- 
meat.  The  mammary  glands  of  the  female  seal,  distended 
with  the  milk,  were  very  delicate  eating.  With  the  pos 
session  of  the  ookgook,  they  now  ventured  again  on  a 
second  meal,  which  consisted  of  part  of  the  forty-two 
dovekies  shot  on  the  2d. 

On  the  4th,  the  theimometer  stood  at  sunrise  at  31°. 
Although  it  was  clear,  no  land  was  seen  to  the  westward ; 
a  few  dovekies  were  caught.  The  next  day  brought  a 
gale  from  the  N.  W.,  with  drifting  snow,  and  this  did 
not  abate  until  the  morning  of  the  7th.  Great  difficulty 
was  experienced  in  keeping  warm  and  in  making  the 
frozen  meat  sufficiently  soft  to  be  cut  up  for  cooking. 
This  terrible  gale,  which  seems  to  have  been  more  severe 


Alarming  Noises.  547 

than  any.  hitherto  encountered  on  the  ice  and  which,  as     1873. 

March. 

before  said,  continued  through  the  whole  of  the  Gth,  so 
completely  deprived  the  party  of  the  power  of  moving 
about  as  to  give  them  even  a  deeper  sense  of  the  provi 
dential  supply  furnished  by  the  ookgook,  without  which 
they  would  have  been  stinted  to  a  short  allowance  of 
bread  and  pemmican,  and  that,  cold. 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  the  weather  had  improved, 
and  the  sun  shone  brightly,  although  the  snow  wras  still 
drifting  under  a  strong  breeze.  The  floe  was  surrounded 
by  insecure  icebergs,  and,  during  the  whole  of  the  night, 
the  sounds  proceeding  from  its  cracking  and  working 
were  like  those  of  artillery,  preventing  sleep.  The  ice 
seemed  likely  at  any  moment  to  break  into  pieces.  Joe 
and  Hans  went  out  in  search  of  open  water  and  found  one 
small  hole  in  which  they  shot  two  dovekies.  Pleasant 
weather  came  at  last  on  the  8th ;  yet  no  water  or  game 
could  be  found,  although  searched  for  by  the  natives.  On 
the  next  day,  the  thermometer  rose  from  — 30°  to  — 13°, 
and,  on  the  9th,  to  — 10° ;  both  of  these  two  last  days 
were  calm,  and  Joe  had  his  usual  good  hick  on  the 
9th,  in  catching  a  seal. 

On  the  night  of  the  10th,  the  cracking  of.  the  floe  in 
all  directions  was  so  alarming  that  the  people  remained 
up  and  dressed,  and  kept  themselves  and  all  their  neces 
saries  of  life  ready,  in  case  of  a  sudden  disaster. 


548  A  Fearful  Night, 

1 873.  On  the  next  day,  it  was  ascertained  that  the  pack  was 

March. 

breaking  up.  It  was  a  fearful  time  ;  it  was  impossible  to 
see  anything  on  account  of  the  snow-drift,  but,  from  the 
violent  motion  of  the  piece  on  which  the  party  \vas  float 
ing,  it  was  known  that  the  floe  had  broken. 

The  night  of  Tuesday,  the  llth,  was  one  of  extreme 
peril  and  apprehension.  The  creaking  and  breaking  of 
the  ice,  the  roaring  of  the  gale,  and  the  swashing  of  the 
water  continued  until  1  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when 
the  gale  began  to  moderate.  When  daylight  came,  it  was 
distinctly  seen  that  everything  was  broken  up  all  around 
them,  and  that  they  were  on  the  best  piece  of  ice,  which 
was  in  size  about  one  hundred  by  seventy-five  yards.  A 
dreadful  night  was  passed  in  the  momentary  expectation 
of  this  small  piece  being  further  diminished.  Fortunately, 
the  place  originally  selected  for  the  snow-houses,  proved 
to  be  the  thickest  and  most  solid  part  of  the  floe ;  the 
boat  still  remained  uninjured.  The  wind,  however,  now 
moderated.  The  work  of  commotion  and  destruction  had 
lasted  for  sixty  hours,  during  all  of  which  time  it  was 
impossible  to  see  at  a  distance  of  ten  yards ;  but,  at 
last,  the  wind  calmed  dowrn,  and  pleasant  weather 
returned.  Joe  shot  two  seals,  and  Hans  and  Captain 
Tyson  each,  one ;  Joe  also  caught  three  dovekies,  and  the 
cook  two. 

The  gale  returned  on  the  13th,  and  although  the  tern- 


A  Bear  Pursued.  549 

pcraturc  was  warmer,  no  attempt  was  made  to  hunt ;  it  would     * 873» 

march. 

have  been  rash  to  leave  the  piece  of  ice  on  which  the  huts 
stood.  Mr.  Meyer,  on  the  preceding  day,  gave  for  the  de 
termination  of  latitude,  64°  32'  N.  which  placed  them  oppo 
site  Cumberland  Gulf.  The  diminished  floe  drifted  along 
quietly  surrounded  by  the  icebergs  which  had  accompanied 
it  all  winter.  It  is  very  striking  that  throughout  all  these 
exciting  and  dangerous  events  no  accidents  occurred  and 
all  kept  well ;  even  Tobias,  Hans'  little  boy,  improved. 

The  night  of  the  13th  was  stormy;  but,  on  the  14th, 
the  day  was  very  fine,  with  a  light  south  wind,  and  the 
morning  sun  shining  brightly.  Joe  killed  an  ookgook, 
which  was  not  quite  so  large  as  the  first ;  it  was  found  to 
be  with  young ;  he  also  caught  two  more  seals.  The  lat 
itude  by  Mr.  Meyer's  observation  was  64°  19'  N. ;  the 
temperature  rose  to  10°  above  zero. 

Two  days  now  passed  without  any  incidents  of  inter 
est;  seals  and  narwhals  were  seen,  but  none  were  caught; 
the  thermometer  varied  from  six  to  ten  degrees  below 
zero  at  night,  and  rose  from  two  to  five  degress  above 
zero  in  the  day-time:  all  the  party  continued  well. 

The  quiet  of  the  17th  was  varied  by  an  exciting  pur 
suit  of  a  bear,  which  lasted  for  two  hours,  when  he  sepa 
rated  himself  from  his  pursuers  by  swimming  over  a  large 
space  of  water.  It  was  seen  by  the  tracks,  that  the  bears 
during  the  night  had  been  within  twenty  paces  of  the  huts. 


550  Bladder-Nose  Seals. 

1873.     The  latitude  at  noon  was  63°  41'  N.,  which  showed  a  drift 

March. 

of  32  miles  in  three  days. 

From  the  18th  to  the  20th  inclusive,  no  game  was 
taken  except  a  small  seal  shot  by  Hans  on  the  20th.  The 
wind  hlew  steadily  from  the  N.  W.,  and  it  was  very  cold, 
the  thermometer  falling  to  — 18°  and  rising  again  to  18°. 
During  this  period,  there  were  several  displays  of  the 
northern  lights,  two  of  which  were  quite  remarkable. 

On  the  21  st,  the  wind  became  light  from  the  north ;  Joe 
and  Hans  had  a  lucky  day  at  sealing.  The  hole  where 
the  seals  were  found  was  two  miles  off,  and  they  traveled 
to  it  over  the  newly-formed  ice,  carrying  the  kyak  with 
them ;  Hans  caught  one  seal,  and  Joe  six.  This  was  the 
last  day  of  winter. 

Joe  caught  two  seals  on  the  22d,  which  was  a  very 
fine  day,  but  on  the  next  day  a  strong  wind  from  the  north 
confined  the  party  to  their  huts ;  the  thermometer  de 
scended  to  5°  below  zero.  On  the  24th,  bear-tracks  were 
discovered  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  huts,  and  they  were 
now  frequently  seen.  One  seal  was  shot  on  that  day  and 
two  on  the  next ;  and  on  the  26th,  nine  large  bladder-nose 
seals  were  killed,  of  which  five  sank ;  of  the  four  saved, 
Joe  shot  three  and  Hans  one.  There  was  now  meat 
enough  for  eighteen  or  twenty  days. 

This  success  in  collecting  food  raised  the  spirits  of  the 
party  very  much.  They  knew  they  had  gotten  on  the 


A    Visit  From  a  Sear.  551 

expected   seal   grounds,  where   an   abundance  could  be     1873. 

March. 

obtained,  and  of  a  larger  species  than  those  on  which  they 
had  been  living. 

A  very  agreeable  surprise  .came  upon  them  on  the 
evening  of  the  27th.  Joe,  when  about  getting  ready  for 
his  night's  rest,  heard  a  noise,  which  at  first  he  thought 
was  made  by  the  breaking-up  of  the  ice ;  he  went  out  to 
ascertain  what  it  was.  In  a  very  short  time,  he  came 
back  looking  pale,  and  saying,  "  There  is  a  bear  close  to 
my  kyak."  The  kyak  was  within  ten  feet  of  the  entrance 
to  the  hut.  Both  Captain  Tyson's  and  Joe's  rifles  were 
outside,  one  lying  close  to  the  kyak  and  the  other  inside 
of  it ;  but  Joe  had  his  pistol. 

They  crept  out  cautiously,  and,  when  they  got  to  the 
entrance,  could  distinctly  hear  the  bear  eating ;  there  were 
several  seal-skins  and  a  good  deal  of  blubber  lying  around 
in  all  directions,  and  the  bear  could  be  seen  eating  the 
skins  and  blubber,  which  he  had  hauled  off.  Joe  crawled 
into  the  hut  of  the  crew  to  give  the  alarm.  Captain 
Tyson  crept  stealthily  toward  his  rifle,  but,  in  tak 
ing  it,  aroused  the  attention  of  the  bear;  the  captain 
pulled  the  trigger  three  times,  but  the  gun  did  not  go 
off,  and  the  bear,  taking  the  alarm,  came  toward  him, 
when  he  retreated  into  his  hut.  Reloading  his  rifle, 

O  ' 

and  putting  extra  charges  in  his  pocket,  he  again  crept 
out,  and  fired  with  such  good  aim,  notwithstanding 


552  The  Bear  Killed. 

1873.     the  darkness  of  the  night,  that  the  ball  entered  the  left 

ITIarch. 

shoulder  of  the  hear,  passed  through  the  heart,  and  came 
out  on  the  other  side.  It  proved  to  he  a  large,  fine  animal, 
of  which  every  part  except  the  liver  was  good ;  the  meat 
tasted  like  pork.  The  animal  caught  was  what  is  called 
the  sea-hear  ( Ursus  maritimus] ;  it  is  almost  amphibious ; 
its  food  consists  principally  of  seals,  captured  either  on  the 
ice  or  in  the  sea. 

It  may  seem  strange  to  the  reader  who  has  had 
no  experience  in  arctic  travel  that  the  guns  should 
have  been  left  outside  of  the  igloos ;  it  may  be  said, 
therefore,  by  way  of  explanation,  that  the  exhalations 
and  condensations  inside,  formed  moisture  which  would 
have  ruined  fire-arms  unless  they  were  cased ;  and  there 
were  no  cases. 

On  the  night  of  the  28th,  a  heavy  gale  sprang  up 
from  the  N.  W.,  and  drove  before  it  huge  bergs,  of 
which  there  were  at  least  one  hundred;  the  floe  was 
hemmed  in  by  them.  One  struck  it,  and,  after  thumping 
on  it  for  a  while,  finally  passed  by,  without  inflicting 
serious  injury. 

On  the  evening  of  the  30th,  two  seals  were  seen  on  a 
piece  of  ice,  and  shot  at  from  the  floe.  The  boat  being 
launched  and  pulled  out  to  the  smaller  piece,  it  was  dis 
covered  that  they  were  a  large  male  bladder-nose  seal,  and 
a  female  with  her  pup.  She  showed  fight,  but  was  soon 


The  Floe  in  Open    Water.  553 

killed,  and,  with  her  pup,  towed  to  the  floe;  the  buck     1873. 

March. 

also  was  shot,  but  got  under  the  young  ice.  Hans,  later 
in  the  day,  shot  another  young  seal.  When  the  young  of 
the  seal  is  secured  without  shooting,  it  is  the  practice  to 
crush  it  to  death  with  the  foot,  in  order  to  save  not  only 
the  blood  but  the  milk  in  its  stomach,  which  is  regarded 
by  the  Esquimaux  as  a  delicacy.  The  bladder-noses  fre 
quently  offer  resistance,  but  they  are  helpless  against 
bullets. 

On  the  last  day  of  this  month,  a  seal  and  two  pups 
were  killed  by  Joe,  and  one  pup  by  Hans ;  these  were 
caught  on  the  drifting  ice.  The  floe  became  gradually 
smaller,  and  was  sometimes  separated  from  the  pack, 
leaving  the  open  ocean  on  the  eastern  side.  Its  position 
was  assumed  to  be  opposite  Cape  Farewell ;  the  latitude 
was  59°  41'  N. 

At  one  time  during  the  night  of  the  30th,  the  sea 
was  very  heavy,  and  no  ice  could  be  seen  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach.  On  the  31st,  the  ice  closed  around,  but 
leaving  a  great  deal  of  open  water.  The  drift  for  the  five 
last  days  appeared  to  have  been  at  the  rate  of  twenty- 
three  miles  per  day,  the  wind  having  been  from  the  west. 
The  thermometer  ranged  from  9°  below,  to  20°  above 
zero. 

The  31st  was  a  day  of  great  anxiety  and  peril.  Al 
though  the  floe  was  constantly  diminishing,  the  appear- 


554 


Great  Peril. 


1873.     aiice  of  heavy  weather  made  it  unsafe  to  venture  in  the 

ITlarch. 

open  boat.     The  party  could  only  suffer  and  hope  for  the 
best. 


!     i    '  •    I  >    \    l  -   V 
i  -  I    .  >  u  A   l.v   1 

r  \  i  \  i:  UNITY  OF 
CALIIAHINIA 


CHAPTER    XX  LI. 


On  the  1st  of  April,  it  was  necessary  to  abandon  the     1873. 

April. 

floe,  which  was  now  wasted  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was 
no  longer  safe ;  at  8  a.  m.,  therefore,  the  party  took  to 
their  boat.  Finding  her  loaded  too  deep,  they  threw 
overboard  one  hundred  pounds  of  meat  and  nearly  all  of 
their  clothing;  the  most  that  could  be  carried  was  the 
tent,  a  few  skins  for  protection,  and  a  little  meat,  with  the 
bread  and  the  pemmican.  It  should  be  remembered  that 
this  boat  was  intended  to  carry  six  or  eight  men  only, 
and  that  at  this  time  she  had  in  her  twelve  men,  two 
women,  and  five  children,  with  the  tent  and  skins,  and 
some  provisions.  There  was  so  little  room  that  it  was 
difficult  to  handle  the  oars  and  yoke-ropes.  Great  pains 
were  taken  by  Captain  Tyson  to  preserve  Captain  Hall's 
writing-desk.  After  making  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  to 
the  south  and  west  in  the  pack,  a  landing  was  effected 
at  noon,  and  the  tent  was  pitched,  with  the  intention  of 
remaining  all  night.  A  young  seal  was  caught  and  the 


558  The  Party  on  the  Move. 

1873.     afternoon  was  spent  in  making  canvas  washboards  for  the 

April. 

boat.  The  weather  was  remarkably  fine,  and  continued 
so  all  night.  But  there  was  very  little  sleep,  partly  on 
account  of  the  cold,  partly  on  account  of  the  breaking-up 
of  the  ice ;  the  floe  lost  several  pieces. 

An  early  start  was  made  at  5  a.  m.  of  the  2d,  the 
weather  being  then  very  fine  and  calm.  Two  hours  after 
ward,  a  breeze  sprang  up,  increasing  until  it  blew  very 
fresh  from  the  southward  and  westward,  the  course  on 
which  the  boat  was  pulling.  It  was  necessary  again  to 
haul  up  and  encamp,  but  several  narrow  escapes  were  made 
before  a  piece  of  ice  could  be  found  on  which  it  was  safe 
to  land.  By  this  time  the  boat  was  fast  making  water ; 
when  emptied,  a  hole  was  found  in  her  side  and  repaired. 
A  seal  was  caught,  which  furnished  supper. 

On  the  3d,  the  early  morning  was  spent  in  further 
repairing  the  boat  and  fitting  the  canvas  washboards.  At 
8.45  a,  m.,  she  was  launched,  and  the  party  again  started, 
in  a  calm.  At  the  end  of  three  hours,  a  breeze  sprang  up 
from  the  N.  N.  W.,  but  the  boat  kept  under  way  until  half 
past  two ;  being  then  beset  by  the  ice  which  was  impene 
trable,  she  was  hauled  up,  and  the  party  encamped  for 
the  night.  At  this  time,  seals  were  so  easily  caught  that 
no  apprehension  of  suffering  from  want  of  food  was  enter 
tained. 

Although  the  wind  was  from   the   northward  and 


A  Dreadful  Day.  559 

westward,  and,  therefore,  favorable  for  reaching  the  land,     1873. 

April. 

it  was  impossible  to  get  under  way  on  the  4th,  until  a 
quarter  before  9  a.  m.  After  a  good  run  of  two  hours, 
the  party  was  again  beset  by  the  ice,  and  obliged  to  haul 
up,  having  regained  the  pack.  The  piece  on  which  they 
landed  was  so  heavy  and  appeared  to  be  so  compact  that 
they  considered  themselves  out  of  immediate  danger; 
the  struggle  to  reach  it  had  been  very  severe  and  very 
fatiguing. 

On  the  .5th,  the  wind  blew  a  gale  from  the  westward, 
and  there  was  a  fearful  sea  running.  At  5  a.  m.,  two  pieces 
broke  from  the  floe,  and  it  was  necessary  to  haul  every 
thing  further  back  toward  its  center.  Another  piece,  break 
ing  off,  carried  away  Joe's  hut ;  fortunately,  the  cracking 
of  the  ice  gave  warning  in  time  for  the  inmates  not  only 
to  escape,- but  to  save  some  of  their  effects.  The  journals 
describe  this  as  a  dreadful  day,  in  which  nothing  could  be 
done  to  lessen  the  danger  or  discomforts,  yet  Joe  speed 
ily  built  another  hut.  A  watch  was  set  for  the  night — a 
night  of  continued  and  patient  suffering. 

On  the  Gth,  the  wind  shifted  to  the  N.  W.,  still 
blowing  a  severe  gale;  the  party  remained  on  the  same 
ice,  from  which  indeed  there  was  no  escape,  for  the  sea 
was  too  rou^h  to  launch  the  boat.  Joe  aorain  lost  his 

a  O 

igloo  by  the  opening  of  the  ice,  which  split  with  a  great 
noise,  cutting  the  hut  in  two.  A  piece  of  ice  was  left  so 


560  Separation. 

1873.     small  as  to  afford  footing  only.     It  was  impossible  to  lie 

April. 

down.  The  things  were  pot  into  the  boat  and  all  hands 
stood  by  for  a  jump. 

The  weather  and  the  sea  remained  the  same  through 
out  the  7th.  At  6  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  ice  split 
across  the  tent  while  the  men  were  getting  out  a  few  ounces 
of  pemmican ;  they  saved  themselves,  but  came  near 
losing  their  boat,  and  actually  lost  their  breakfast.  It  was 
impossible  to  catch  a  seal  after  the  storm  set  in.  There 
was  no  blubber  to  feed  the  lamp,  and,  therefore,  there  was 
no  water  to  drink.  The  prospect  was  gloomy  indeed. 
Half  of  the  men  lay  down  in  the  tent  to  get  a  little  rest, 
while  the  remainder  walked  around  it ;  but  for  those  who 
attempted  to  rest  the  body  there  was  no  repose  for  the 
mind.  One  after  another  would  spring  up  from  his  place 
and  make  a  wild  dash  forward,  as  if  to  avoid  some  sudden 
danger. 

At  midnight  of  the  8th,  the  ice  broke  between  the 
tent  and  the  boat,  which  were  so  close  that  there  was  not 
space  to  pass  between  them.  Mr.  Meyer,  with  the  boat 
and  the  kyak,  was  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  party. 
The  weather  was  the  same  as  before — blowing,  snowing, 
and  very  cold;  the  ice  was  cracking  and  grinding  with  a 
very  heavy  sea.  Mr.  Meyer  cast  the  kyak  adrift,  in  the 
hope  that  it  would  reach  the  other  part  of  the  floe,  and  that 
Joe  or  Hans  might  come  in  it  to  his  assistance;  but  it 


Mr.  Meyer's  Danger.  561 

drifted  away  to  leeward.     The  natives  took  their  paddles     is 73. 

April. 

and  ice-spears  and  went  after  it,  springing  from  piece  to 
piece,  until,  hy  propelling  a  small  piece  of  ice,  they  got 
near  enough  to  Mr.  Meyer  to  catch  a  rope  which  he  threw 
them,  and  with  which  he  dragged  them  toward  him.  In  the 
mean  time,  those  who  remained  hehind,  watched  Mr.  Meyer 
and  the  natives  with  the  extremest  anxiety,  and  could 
just  make  out  through  the  darkness  that  they  had 
reached  him.  Nothing  more  could  he  done  during 

O  O 

the  night ;  it  was  necessary  to  wait  for  daylight,  which 
happily  came  at  3  a.  m.  On  rememhering  that  it  was 
impossible  for  the  three  to  manage  the  boat  by  themselves, 
others  determined  to  join  them.  In  order  to  do  so,  they 
were  obliged  to  make  the  same  perilous  journey.  This 
they  accomplished  in  safety,  and  brought  the  boat  back, 
after  a  long  struggle,  to  the  original  floe ;  the  kyak  also 
was  saved.  Mr.  Meyer  and  Jamka  had  fallen  into  the 
water  during  the  night,  but  luckily  there  were  two  or  three 
dry  shirts  for  them.  All  of  the  men  were  more  or  less 
wet;  Mr.  Meyer,  having  been  very  wet  all  night,  came 
near  being  frozen  to  death.  He  lost  his  breath  for  some 
time;  but  Joe  and  Hans,  laboring  diligently,  succeeded  in 
rousing  him  from  his  lethargy,  and  finally  he  was  restored 
to  full  consciousness  by  violent  exercise.  Shortly  after 
ward  he  found  that  his  toes  were  frozen. 

The  tent  was  now  taken  down  and  again  pitched  in 

36 


5G2  Washed  Out. 

1873.     the  middle  of  the  small  floe,  with  the  boat  alongside ;  Joe 

April. 

built  another  hut  near  them.  The  breakfast  that  morning 
consisted  of  a  few  morsels  of  pemmican  and  bread.  A 
watch  was  set  to  observe  the  movements  of  the  ice ;  the 
rest  of  the  party  lay  down  in  a  state  of  extreme  weari 
ness,  to  get  some  much-needed  sleep. 

The  next  twelve  hours  of  the  9th,  proved  a  season  of 
rest ;  the  sun  shone  out  for  a  few  moments,  long  enough 
for  Mr.  Meyer  to  determine  the  latitude  which  was,  ap 
proximately,  55°  51'  N.  The  sea  again  rose  high  toward 
evening,  the  ice  became  more  loose,  and  the  water  ap 
proached  nearer,  threatening  every  moment  to  wash  the 
people  off.  Finally,  in  the  evening,  they  were  washed 
out  of  their  tent  and  igloo.  Although  the  boat  could  not 
possibly  have  lived  in  such  a  sea,  it  was  got  ready,  and  the 
women  and  children  placed  in  it  for  safety.  There  was 
not  a  dry  place  to  stand  on,  nor  a  piece  of  fresh-water  ice 
to  eat,  the  sea  having  swept  over  everything,  and  filled  the 
depressions  where  fresh-water  ice  was  sometimes  found. 
At  midnight,  the  ice  had  closed  up,  and  the  wind  and  sea 
subsided. 

The  morning  of  the  10th  was  calm,  cloudy,  and 
warm,  although  the  sun  had  not  appeared.  This  weather 
continued  through  the  llth,  bringing  with  it  the  encour 
agement  of  seeing  a  fox,  some  crows,  and  land-birds, 
from  which  it  was  inferred  that  land  was  not  distant.  It 


Starvation.  563 

was  fortunate  that  the  weather  was  calm,  for  there  were  two     *  873- 

April. 

large  bergs  nearly  on  the  top  of  the  party,  by  which  in 
any  motion  of  the  ice  they  might  have  been  crushed. 
The  light  wind  and  calm  continued  throughout  the  12th, 
while  the  party  still  remained  prisoners,  suffering  very 
much  from  hunger.  Seals  were  seen,  but  could  not  be 
reached.  The  day  was  very  fine,  and  the  sun,  shining  for 
the  first  time  in  several  days,  gave  Mr.  Meyer  an  oppor 
tunity  of  determining  the  latitude,  55°  35'  N. 

The  ice  opened  at  night,  and  closed  again ;  it  was 
also  open  for  a  few  hours  Sunday  morning.  The  northern 
lights  had  been  remarkably  brilliant.  Mr.  Meyer's  ob 
servations  for  latitude  gave  55°  23'  1ST.  Seals  were  seen, 
but  the  prisoners  were  not  able  to  approach  them.  On 
the  14th,  the  pack  remained  closed ;  the  men  were  again 
tantalized  by  the  sight  of  seals.  The  weather  was  fine, 
and  the  sea,  or  rather  the  ice,  was  still.  The  latitude  was 
55°  13'  N.  The  piece  of  ice  was  fast  wearing  away,  and 
the  provisions  were  nearly  exhausted.  The  future  looked 
very  dark ;  starvation  stared  them  in  the  face. 

The  weather  still  continued  calm  on  the  15th;  the 
condition  of  the  ice  was  unchanged.  The  night  before  had 

o  o 

been  very  cold,  and  snow  had  fallen ;  it  was  thought  that 
a  change  of  weather  was  about  to  take  place.  But  during 
the  day  the  sun  shone  brightly.  It  was  still  impossible  to 
move.  The  latitude  was  54°  58'  K  Mr.  Meyer's  suffer- 


5G4  The   Weakness  of  the  Men. 

1873.     ings  from  hunger  were  no  doubt  aggravated  by  his  terrible 

April. 

exposure  on  the  8th;  he  lost  strength,  and  his  appearance 
indicated  the  severity  of  his  trials. 

On  the  1 6th,  the  wind  increased,  but  not  enough  to 

o 

create  any  swell.  The  heads  of  several  of  the  men  were 
terribly  swollen,  but,  according  to  Captain  Tyson,  not  from 
scurvy.  The  length  of  the  night-watches  was  reduced  to 
an  hour ;  the  men  in  their  present  weak  condition  could 
not  keep  up  for  a  longer  time.  The  demoralizing  influ 
ence  of  the  situation  began  to  show  itself  in  one  or 
more  of  the  men  while  on  watch  stealing  the  pemmican — 
one  of  them  had  been  caught  in  the  act  on  the  7th. 

It  wras  now  the  seventh  day  of  their  imprisonment 
in  the  ice  without  change  of  condition  or  power  of  mo 
tion,  while  the  scanty  supply  of  provisions  was  rapidly 
coming  to  an  end.  Small  as  was  the  allowance,  it  was 
now  necessary  to  reduce  it  still  further.  The  men  were 
growing  rapidly  weaker  and  the  horrible  idea  of  having 
to  resort  to  the  last  means  of  subsistence  entered  their 
minds. 

The  next  day,  the  situation  was  unchanged  in  every 
respect,  except  that  the  swelling  of  the  heads  had  increased ; 
individual  weakness  was  more  apparent. 

The  morning  of  Friday,  the  18th — a  day  never  to  be 
forgotten  by  the  shipwrecked  sufferers — opened  with  a 
light  breeze  from  the  north.  At  10  o'clock  Joe  saw  a 


Dividing  the  Seal.  565 

small  water-hole  about  half  a  mile  off.     Taking  his  gun,     1873. 

April. 

he  ventured  to  cross  over  on  the  loose  ice.  As  soon  as  he 
reached  the  hole,  the  sound  of  his  rifle  was  heard — he 
had  killed  a  seal.  He  then  shouted  for  his  kyak,  as  the 
wrater  was  rapidly  making.  An  hour  of  intense  anxiety 
passed  before  the  kyak  could  be  got  to  him,  but  when, 
after  great  trouble  and  risk,  it  arrived,  a  seal  was  secured 
of  sufficient  size  for  three  meals  for  the  whole  party.  It 
was  eaten  raw  and  eaten  with  thanksgiving,  for  it  saved 
them  from  starvation  for  some  days  at  least.  Carefully 
dividing  it  into  sixteen  parts  in  w7hich  nothing  but  the 
gall  was  rejected,  one  man  turned  his  back  and  called  the 
others  in  succession,  each  one  taking  his  share  of  meat, 
blubber,  and  skin,  when  his  name  was  pronounced.  Then 
a  general  contribution  was  made  of  blubber  and  rags 
for  a  fire,  with  which  soup  was  cooked,  and  eaten  with 
much  relish. 

The  seal  was  not  their  onlv  visitor.     A  crow,  two 

mJ 

small  birds,  and  a  large  flock  of  ducks,  perhaps  number 
ing  a  hundred  and  fifty,  approached,  but  kept  out  of  the 
range  of  their  guns.     A  still  more  grateful  experience     . 
was  a  sight  of  the  land  in  plain  view  in  a  southwest 
direction. 

On  the  19th,  the  circumstances  had  changed  very  little, 
except  that  there  was  an  increasing  swell  and  a  loosening 
of  the  pack.  The  weather  was  thick.  No  land  was  to 


566  Washed  by  Seas. 

1873.     be  seen,  and  there  was  no  appearance  of  the  sun.     Toward 

April. 

evening,  the  sky  was  threatening,  the  wind  rose,  and  the 
swell  became  more  heavy.  At  9  p.  m.,  a  sudden  alarm 
was  given  by  the  man  on  watch,  and  instantly  a  sea 
struck  the  floe,  and,  washing  over  it,  carried  away  every 
thing  that  was  loose.  There  was  barely  time  to  put  the 
women  and  children  and  some  few  things  into  the  boat, 
before  a  succession  of  seas  followed  at  intervals  of  between 
five  and  ten  minutes.  At  last,  there  came  a  still  larger 
wave,  which  carried  away  the  tent,  the  skins,  and  most  of 
the  bed-clothing. 

The  one  object  now  was  to  save  the  boat  on  which 
the  lives  of  the  party  depended.  To  do  this,  it  was  neces 
sary  for  the  men  to  stand  on  each  side  of  the  boat  and 
hold  on  with  all  their  strength.  The  attempt  was  made 
to  secure  it  by  the  boat-warp  and  by  a  strong  line  of 
strips  of  ookgook  skin,  which  were  fastened  to  projecting 
points  in  the  ice,  but  these  frequently  parted,  and  the 
safety  of  the  boat  wholly  depended  on  the  exertions  of  the 
men.  Every  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  a  sea  came,  which 
lifted  it,  and  carried  the  men  with  it,  to  the  opposite  edge 
of  the  ice,  where  the  sea  lost  its  strength.  The  interval 
between  the  seas  was  passed  in  getting  the  boat  back  to 
the  weather  edge  of  the  floe — the  edge  on  which  the  sea 
struck  first. 

To  add  to  the  sufferings  of  the  night,  the  water  was 


A    Weary    Vigil.  567 

filled  with  blocks  of  ice,  which,  continually  flying  about,     1873. 

April. 

struck  the  men  while  holding  fast  to  the  boat,  inflicting 
severe  braises  on  every  part  of  the  body.  In  this  situation, 
they  stood  from  9  o'clock  in  the  evening  until  7  the  next 


morning. 


The  only  words  that  were  spoken  were  words  of 
encouragement  to  each  other — ' '  Hold  on  " — * '  Bear  down  " — 
"Put  on  all  your  weight". 

At  7  a.  m.  of  the  20th,  a  small  piece  of  ice,  which 
rode  dry,  came  close  to  them,  arid  they  made  up  their 
minds  to  launch  the  boat,  and  reach  it  or  perish.  The  cook 
fell  overboard,  but  was  saved.  All  landed  in  safety,  wet, 
wreary,  cold,  and  sleepy,  but  grateful  for  their  preservation. 

The  first  object  then  was  to  dry  the  clothes,  which 
could  be  done-  only  to  a  limited  extent,  the  sun  not  being 
out  and  the  atmosphere  being  damp.  The  men  were 
divided  into  two  watches,  and  slept  in  the  boat  as  well 
as  they  could.  The  ice  around  them  was  posh-ice, 
through  which  the  boat  could  not  be  forced ;  it  was  neces 
sary  to  remain  where  they  were.  The  fatigue  and  dan 
gers  encountered  on  the  preceding  night  could  never  have 
been  borne  but  for  the  three  meals  furnished  by  the  last 
seal  shot  by  Joe.  The  latitude  was  now  53°  57'  K  The 
weather  was  very  bad ;  at  first  it  snowed  and  was  sleety, 
after  which  it  rained  all  night,  and  until  12  o'clock  next  day. 

The  dawn  of  the  22d  found  the  men  half-drowned, 


568  Saved  by  a  Bear. 

1873.     cold,  and  without   shelter.      There  was   nothing  to  eat; 

April. 

one  of  them  chewed  on  a  piece  of  tanned  skin  which  had 
heen  saved  for  clothing.  Joe  had  heen  three  times  out  on 
the  ice,  hut  had  seen  nothing.  The  faithful  and  untiring 
Esquimaux  ventured  out  a  fourth  time,  and,  while 
anxiously  watching  from  the  top  of  a  hummock,  he  saw  a 
bear  coming  toward  him.  He  hurried  hack  for  his  (jun  ; 

O  O  ' 

all  hands  were  directed  to  lie  down  and  remain  perfectly 
still.  Joe  and  Hans  went  toward  the  animal,  and  waited 
for  him  behind  a  hummock.  It  was  a  moment  of  intense 
excitement.  The  bear  came  slowly  on,  and,  when  within 
range  of  the  rifles,  two  shots  were  fired,  killing  him  in 
stantly.  The  men  arose  with  a  shout,  rushed  to  the  spot, 
and,  bending  on  a  line,  dragged  him  in  triumph  to  the 
camp.  His  blood  was  very,  acceptable,  for  they  were  suf 
fering  with  extreme  thirst.  The  bear  was  further  south 
~ 

than  the  animal  usually  comes ;  his  stomach  was  empty 
and  he  was  quite  thin,  but  his  flesh  was  all  the  better  for 
this,  since  when  be  is  fat  it  is  gross  and  very  strong.  After 
all  the  previous  escapes,  but  for  the  rifles  of  the  Esqui 
maux  in  this  extreme  emergency,  this  story  would  not 
have  been  written. 

During  the  next  two  days,  the  weather  was  dismal ; 
it  rained  hard,  everybody  was  drenched,  and  it  was  im 
possible  to  move.  Glimpses  of  the  land  were  obtained 
from  time  to  time  when  the  weather  held  up,  and  a  prom- 


Mowing  Toward  the  Land.  569 

lead  of  water  at  one  time  showed  itself,  which,  how-     1878. 

April. 

ever,  soon  again  closed.  A  large  flock  of  ducks  was  seen 
on  the  morning  of  the  24th.  A  gale  sprung  up  from  the 
N.  E.,  which  continued  to  the  25th.  Under  these  trying 
circumstances,  the  bear-meat  kept  them  alive,  every  one, 
especially  Mr.  Meyer,  being  strengthened  and  improved 
by  it ;  but,  though  tender  and  good,  it  was  not  equal  to 
the  seal-meat  for  generating  heat. 

At  5  a.  m.  of  the  25th,  a  determination  was  formed 
of  attempting  to  get  to  the  land  in  the  boat,  although  it 
was  badly  damaged,  and  there  were  no  means  of  putting 
it  in  repair*  The  piece  of  ice  on  which  they  were,  had 
wasted  so  much  that  it  could  not  ride  out  another  easterly 
gale ;  it  would  certainly  be  broken  up  into  pieces  not 
affording  even  a  foothold. 

Notwithstanding  the  gale,  the  fearful  sea,  and  the 
crippled  and  overloaded  condition  of  the  boat,  eight  hours 
of  almost  fruitless  labor  w^ere  spent  at  the  oars,  when  the 
party  hauled  up  on  a  floe,  and  made  preparations  to  camp 
for  the  night.  The  sky  had  been  for  some  days  entirely 
overcast;  neither  the  sun  nor  a  star  had  been  seen;  yet 
the  men  were  very  much  encouraged  by  finding  them 
selves  on  sealing-ground.  They  saw  seals  in  the  greatest 
abundance,  moving  like  porpoises  in  schools ;  in  the  eve 
ning,  Joe  shot  some  which  sank,  but  he  finally  secured 
one ;  on  the  morning  of  the  26th,  Hans  shot  another. 


570  A  Steamer  Sighted. 

1 873.  In  the  morning,  the  weather  was  so  fine  that  the  party, 

April. 

notwithstanding  the  compactness  of  the  ice,  was  tempted 
again  to  take  to  the  boat,  hut  at  the  end  of  two  hours,  it 
was  so  beset  that  it  was  necessary  to  haul  up  on  a  small 
piece  of  ice — the  best  that  could  be  found.  It  had  been 
snowing  during  the  day,  but  the  weather  again  cleared  up ; 
the  boat  was  repaired,  and  some  of  the  clothing  was  dried. 
Hans  shot  another  seal. 

The  27th  proved  to  be  a  day  of  disappointment. 
There  was  open  water  in  sight,  but  it  was  inaccessible. 
Mr.  Meyer's  observation  of  the  preceding  day  had  given 
the  latitude  of  53°  30'  N.  During  the  night,  a  gale  arose 
from  the  west,  and  brought  on  a  heavy  sea  which,  wash 
ing  over  the  floe,  compelled  the  men  again  to  stand  by 
the  boat  all  night.  But  it  was  not  nearly  so  bad  as  that 
on  the  night  of  the  19th.  The  boat  wras  launched  at 
daylight  of  the  28th,  but,  after  some  ineffectual  struggles,  it 
was  necessary  to  haul  up  again  on  the  ice  at  6  o'clock. 
Here  they  had  a  few  hours'  sleep,  until  they  were  in  dan 
ger  of  being  crushed  by  some  bergs  which  were  coming 
down  upon  them  with  fearful  noises  caused  by  their  col 
lisions.  The  gale  had  set  everything  in  motion,  but,  in 
the  midst  of  this  chaotic  confusion,  Joe  shot,  out  on  the 
ice,  three  young  bladder-nose  seals  which,  not  being  large, 
were  taken  into  the  boat. 

At  4.30  p.  m.,  a  steamer  hove  in  sight,  right  ahead, 


New  Disappointment.  571 

and,  at  one  time,  appeared  to  be  bearing  down  upon  the     1873. 

April. 

boat.  The  American  colors  were  hoisted,  and  the  boat 
pulled  for  her.  She  was  recognized  as  a  sealer  steering 
southwest,  and  apparently  working  through  the  ice.  For 
a  few  moments  the  hearts  of  the  shipwrecked  party  were 
thrilled  with  joy,  but  the  steamer  failed  to  see  them,  and, 
night  coming  on,  she  soon  diappeared.  The  boat  was 
once  more  hauled  up  on  a  piece  of  ice.  The  night  was 
calm  and  clear  and  the  sea  smooth.  Fires  were  made  on 
the  floe  with  the  blubber  of  seals,  to  attract  the  attention 
of  passing  vessels.  The  party  was  divided  into  two 
watches,  of  four  hours  each;  but  the  hope  of  relief  had 
made  them  more  wakeful  than  the  fear  of  danger.  Dur 
ing  the  day,  some  westing  had  been  made. 

The  morning  of  the  29th  was  pleasant  and  calm. 
Every  one  was  on  the  lookout  for  a  steamer,  except  those 
who  were  making  up  for  their  night's  watch.  At  day 
light,  a  steamer  was  seen  8  miles  off.  The  watch  below 
was  called,  the  boat  launched,  and  headed  for  the  ship,  fyut 
after  pulling  two  hours,  it  was  so  beset  by  the  ice  that  it 
could  make  no  headway.  The  party  landed  on  a  small 
piece  of  ice,  hoisted  their  colors,  mounted  the  highest  point 
of  the  floe,  collected  all  the  rifles  and  pistols,  and  fired  them 
together  to  attract  attention. 

After  three  rounds,  the  steamer  fired  three  shots, 
and,  changing  her  course,  headed  toward  the  floe.  The 


572  Picked  up  by  the  Tigress. 

1873.     party   uttered   an   involuntary  shout,  though  too  far  off 

April. 

to  be  heard.  Shortly  after,  the  steamer  again  changed 
her  course,  heading  first  south,  then  north,  and  then  west. 
The  firing  hy  the  party  was  repeated  several  times,  and 
every  possible  effort  was  made  to  attract  attention,  but  in 
vain.  Late  in  the  afternoon,  she  steamed  away  to  the  S. 
W.,  and  the  hope  of  relief  was  reluctantly  abandoned.  In 
the  evening,  she  was  seen  again,  but  further  off.  This 
vessel  was  the  Eagle,  of  Saint  John's,  Captain  Jackmann, 
an  officer  noted  for  his  humanity ;  he  had  received  two 
medals  for  saving  life,  and  had  he  seen  the  party  on  the 
floe,  he  would  have  come  to  their  assistance  at  any  hazard. 

While  looking  at  the  Eagle,  another  stranger  hove  in 
sight,  strengthening  the  hope  of  final  relief. 

Again  early  on  the  morning  of  the  30th  when  the 
fog  opened,  a  steamer  was  seen  close  to  the  floe ;  the  guns 
were  fired,  the  colors  were  set  on  the  boat's  mast,  and 
loud  shouts  were  uttered.  Hans  shoved  off  in  his  kyak, 
of  his  own  accord,  to  intercept  her,  if  possible  ;  the  morn 
ing  was  foggy,  but  the  steamer's  head  soon  turned  toward 
them,  and  in  a  few  moments  she  was  alongside  of  the  floe. 
The  three  cheers  given  by  the  shipwrecked  people  were 
returned  by  a  hundred  men  on  deck  and  aloft.  The  vessel 
proved  to  be  the  barkentine  Tigress,  sealer,  Captain  Bart- 
lett,  of  Conception  Bay,  Newfoundland.  Her  small  seal- 
boats  were  very  soon  in  the  water ;  but  the  shipwrecked 


Effects  of  Return  to  Civilized  Life.  573 

party  did  not  wait  for  them.     They  threw  everything  out     1873. 

May. 

of  their  own  hoat,  launched  her,  and  in  a  few  moments 

were  on  hoard  the  Tigress,  where  they  became  objects  of 
extreme  curiosity  as  well  as  of  the  most  devoted  attention. 
When  the  time  during  which  they  had  been  on  the  ice 
was  mentioned,  they  were  regarded  with  astonishment, 
and  warmly  congratulated  upon  their  miraculous  escape. 
They  were  picked  up  in  latitude  53°  35'  K,  off  Grady 
Harbor,  Labrador. 

The  next  day,  May  1,  Captain  Bartlett  had  all  his; 
boats  out  sealing ;  Joe  joined  them,  and  was  a  happy  as 
well  as  an  able  assistant.  From  the  evening  of  the  2d,  to 
the  noon  of  the  4th,  a  storm  of  extreme  severity  raged 
incessantly.  The  floe  party  had  been  rescued  in  good 
time ;  it  could  hardly  have  survived  this  gale.  Even  the 
staunch  and  well-found  Tigress,  fitted  especially  for  this 
service,  encountered  such  rough  treatment  from  the  ice  as 
excited  the  astonishment  of  the  rescued  seamen. 

The  return  to  civilized  life  and  its  food  and  comforts 
was  attended  with  the  usual  results.  Most  of  the  men 
suffered  at  first  from  swollen  legs  and  feet,  diarrhea,  and 
severe  headache. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2d,  Captain  De  Lang,  of  the 
sealer  Walrus,  came  on  board  the  Tigress,  and  was  informed 
of  the  rescue  of  the  floe  party  and  the  circumstances  attend- 


574  Arrival  at  St.  John's. 

1873.  ing  it.  He  expected  to  return  to  Newfoundland  before 
any  other  vessel  of  the  fleet,  and  actually  did  so,  furnish 
ing  to  Mr.  Mulloy,  United  States  consul  at  St.  John's,  on 
the  9th,  the  first  information  of  the  safety  and  condition 
of  the  rescued  Americans.  This  information  was  tele 
graphed  by  the  consul  the  same  day  to  the  honorable 
Secretary  of  State,  the  telegram  containing  the  first  news 
also  of  the  death  of  Captain  Hall. 

Captain  Bartlett  decided,  on  the  7th,  to  return  home ; 
on  the  8th,  instead  of  going  to  St.  John's,  as  was  his 
first  intention,  he  put  into  Bay  Eoberts,  in  order  to  land 
his  boats  and  sealing-gear,  preparatory  to  the  ship  being 
hauled  out  at  St.  John's  for  repairs. 

Mr.  Mulloy,  United  States  consul,  on  the  9th,  went 
to  Bay  Roberts,  and  obtained  from  Captain  Tyson  a  brief 
statement  of  the  incidents  of  the  voyage  of  the  Polaris, 
the  separation  on  the  15th  of  October,  1872,  and  the  drift 
of  the  floe  party;  all  of  which  he  communicated  by  tele 
graph,  on  that  day,  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  adding  that 
the  party  were  well  provided  for  in  Bay  Roberts,  and  that 
they  would  come  to  St.  John's  on  the  following  Monday. 

On  Monday,  the  12th,  he  informed  the  honorable  Sec 
retary  of  the  Navy,  by  telegram,  of  the  arrival  of  the 
Tigress  at  St.  John's,  and  the  landing  of  the  party 
picked  up  by  her,  and  asked  for  instructions  concerning 
their  disposal. 


Return  in  the  Frolic.  575 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  sent  a  telegram  to  Mr.     1873. 
Mulloy,  in  which  he  instructed  him  in  regard  to  the  funds 
for  their  care  and  relief. 

There  being,  at  that  time,  no  communication  with  . 

St.  John's,  in  consequence  of  the  coast  being  blockaded 
by  the  ice  and  of  the  prevailing  east  winds,  the  Secretary 
dispatched,  on  the  15th  of  May,  the  United  States  steamer 
Frolic,  Commander  C.  M.  Schoonmaker,  from  New  York, 
to  bring  home  the  rescued  party.  Commander  Schoon 
maker  arrived  at  St.  John's  on  the  morning  of  the  22d. 
He  had  encountered  icebergs,  before  reaching  Cape  Race, 
on  the  21st,  and  on  the  following  night  passed  more  than 
one  hundred  of  them,  besides  three  ice-floes.  He  was 
unavoidably  delayed  at  St.  John's  until  the  27th,  when  he 
received  the  rescued  party  from  the  care  of  Consul  Mulloy, 
and  sailed  on  the  same  day  for  the  United  States,  arriving 
at  the  Washington  navy-yard  on  the  5th  of  June. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  reporting  to  the  Presi 
dent  on  the  17th  of  June  the  action  of  the  Navy  Depart 
ment  "in  the  matter  of  the  disaster  to  the  United  States 
exploring  expedition  toward  the  north  pole,"  says: — 

"As  it  was  obviously  proper,  in  view  of  the  prompt 
and  responsible  action  which  might  be  required,  that  the 
Government  should,  as  soon  as  possible,  be  in  possession 
of  the  fullest  and  most  reliable  information  upon  all  the 
circumstances  of  the  case,  the  Frolic  was  ordered  to  bring 


576  The  Floe  Party  at   Washington. 

1873.     «  directly  to  Washington  all  the  persons  having  personal 

May.  1  .         ,, 

knowledge  on  the  subject. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Frolic,  the  Secretary  instituted 
an  examination  of  the  party  brought  by  her ;  the  manner 
in  which  this  examination  was  conducted,  and  its  results, 
will  be  hereafter  given. 


"7 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 


TEE     CRUISES     OF     THE     UNITED     STATES     STEAMERS      1873. 

May. 

JUNIATA  AND  TIGRESS  FOR  THE  RESCUE  OF  THE 

POLARIS  AND  HER  CREW. 

The  information  received  from  the  floe-party  concern 
ing  the  condition  and  the  situation  of  the  Polaris  when 
last  seen  by  them,  induced  the  Department  to  take  prompt 
measures  for  the  rescue  of  her  officers  and  crew. 

Anticipating  this  mode  of  action  by  the  United  States 
Government,  the  owners  of  the  sealing-vessel  Tigress  im 
mediately  offered  her  to  the  United  States  for  this  special 
service,  on  terms  which  were  accepted  by  the  Depart 
ment,  under  the  sanction  of  the  President.  The  ship  was 
brought  to  the  navy-yard,  Brooklyn,  where  she  underwent 
such  changes  and  repairs  as  were  necessary  to  qualify  her 
for  this  duty,  which  embraced  not  only  a  distant  cruise  in 
high  latitudes,  but  the  possibility  of  wintering  in  the  polar 
seas. 

At  the  same  time,  the  United  States  ship  Juniata, 


580  The  Complement  of  the  Juniata. 

1873.     third  rate,  "was  made  ready  to  proceed  to  the  coast  of 

June. 

Greenland,  to  facilitate  the  movements  of  the  Tigress  by 
carrying  coal  and  other  supplies,  for  which  the  latter  had 
not  sufficient  capacity,  and  to  prosecute  the  search  herself, 
as  far  as  was  prudent  for  a  vessel  not  built  or  strengthened 
for  arctic  navigation". 

Commander  D.  L.  Braine  was  selected  for  the  com- 

\ 

mand  of  the  Juniata,  and  Commander  James  A.  Greer  for 
the  Tigress.  The  Tigress  was  well  fitted  to  encounter  all 
the  dangers  of  arctic  navigation.  The  Juniata  was  not ; 
and  the  commander  of  that  vessel,  therefore,  was  recom 
mended  to  incur  no  more  than  ordinary  risk  and  danger, 
but  to  aid  in  every  way  the  object  of  the  Tigress. 

The  Juniata  sailed  from  New  York  on  the  24th  of 
June.  Her  officers  were : — 

Commander  D.  L.  Braine,  commanding ; 

Lieutenant-Commander  E.  C.  Merriman  ; 

Lieutenants  G.  W.  De  Long,  G.  E.  Ide,  E.  P.  Mc- 
Clellan,  and  C.  W.  Chipp ; 

Master  F.  E.  Upton  ; 

Ensigns  W.  F.  Bulkley,  S.  P.  Comly,  S.  H.  May, 
J.  D.  Keeler ; 

Midshipman  J.  J.  Hunker ; 

Surgeon  T.  C.  Walton  ; 

Assistant  Surgeon  B.  F.  Rogers ; 

Passed  Assistant  Paymaster  T.  S.  Thompson ; 


582  The  "Little  Juniata"  Dispatched. 

1873.     tion  had  been  unusually  open  and  free  from  floe-ice  this 

August. 

year — in  the  language  of  the  governor,  "there  had  been 
no  winter" — and  finding  that  he  could  obtain  a  competent 
Esquimaux  pilot,  Commander  Brainc  decided  to  send  the 
large  steam-launch  of  his  own  vessel  to  the  north;  a  serv 
ice  for  which  she  had  been  fitted  by  sheathing,  and  by 
arming  her  bows  with  iron  and  guarding  her  propeller  with 
an  iron  frame.  She  was  commanded  by  Lieut.  G.  W.  De 
Long,  who  volunteered  for  this  service,  and  she  received 
the  name  of  the  "Little  Juniata".  The  task  assigned  to 
her  was  to  skirt  the  fast  ice  of  the  coast,  collect  all  the 
information  possible,  and  return  by  the  15th  of  August, 
which  would  be  before  the  probable  arrival  of  the  Tigress 
at  Upernavik.  The  officers  and  men  were  furnished  with 
complete  suits  of  fur  clothing,  and  the  launch  was  pro 
visioned  for  sixty  days,  and  supplied  with  coal  for  seven 
teen  days'  full  steaming.  She  sailed  from  Tessi-Ussak 
August  3. 

At  Disco,  Commander  Braine  learned  that,  early 
in  June,  the  two  English  steam-whale-ships  the  Eric, 
Captain  Walker,  and  the  Arctic,  Captain  Adams,  had 
touched  there,  and  had  been  informed  of  the  rescue  of 
the  floe-party  and  of  the  probable  condition  of  the  Polaris. 
The  captains  of  these  ships  had  kindly  promised  to  keep  a 
lookout  for  the  latter  on  their  northern  passage.  Com 
mander  Braine's  conclusion  was  that  they  would  examine 


Commander  Greer's  Instructions.  583 

the  western  shore  of  Baffin's  Bay,  and  if  the  Little  Juni-     1873. 

July. 

ata  now  looked  along  the  east  coast,  the  Tigress  might 
venture  to  proceed  on  the  direct  route  to  Northumberland 
Island. 


'  When  the  Tigress  was  entirely  ready  for  sea,  Com 
mander  Greer  received  instructions  from  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  which  directed  him  to  proceed  first  to  Saint 
John's,  Newfoundland,  to  fill  up  with  coal;  and  thence  to 
Godhaven,  Disco,  where  he  could  ascertain  from  the  Dan 
ish  authorities  whether  any  information  had  been  received 
from  the  Polaris  or  her  crew,  and  where  he  would  prob 
ably  find  letters  from  the  Juniata,  giving  intelligence  of 
her  movements. 

From  Godhavn  he  was  enjoined  to  proceed  to  North 
umberland  Island  by  the  way  of  Upernavik  and  Tessi- 
Ussak,  unless  information  received  in  the  mean  time, 
concerning  the  Polaris  and  her  officers  and  crew,  should 
render  hi.s  further  progress  unnecessary.  Commander 
Greer  was  also  instructed  to  rescue  and  bring  home, 
first,  the  officers  and  crew;  secondly,  the  records,  scien 
tific  and  nautical ;  thirdly,  the  ship — named  in  the  order 
of  their  importance.  The  Tigress  was  to  winter  in  a 
high  latitude,  if  necessary,  and  to  resume  the  search  in 
the  ensuing  summer.  She  was  to  carry  Captain  Tyson  as 


584  The  Complement  of  the  Tigress. 

1873.     ice-master  and  pilot,  and  Linquist,  Kruger,  and  Ninde- 

July. 

mann,  formerly  seamen  on  the  Polaris,  with  Esquimaux 
Joe  as  hunter  and  sledge-driver;  Hans  and  his  family 
were  also  to  be  taken  on  board,  and  landed  at  some  port 
in  Greenland. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  visited  the  Tigress  at  the 
Brooklyn  navy-yard,  put  her  in  commission,  and  made  a 
short  address  to  the  officers  and  crew.  The  ship  left  New 
York  on  the  afternoon  of  July  14. 

Her  officers  were  :  — 

Commander  James  A.  Greer,  commanding ; 

Lieutenant-Commander  Henry  C.  White,  executive 
officer ; 

Lieutenant  George  F.  Wilkins,  navigator ; 

Lieutenants  Robert  M.  Berry  and  U.  8.  Sebree ; 

Acting  Lieutenant  George  E.  Tyson,  ice-master ; 

Acting  Master  E.  J.  Chipman,  assistant  ice-master ; 

Engineers  G.  W.  Melville  and  W.  A.  Mintzer; 

Assistant  Paymaster  G.  E.  Baughman ; 

Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  J.  W.  Elston. 

The  Tigress  arrived  at  Saint  John's  on  the  morning 
of  the  23d;  at  Godhavn,  August  6;  and  Upernavik, 
where  the  Juniata  was  found,  on  the  10th.  From  this 
port  she  sailed  on  the  llth,  having  on  board  a  Danish 
pilot,  and  anchored  at  Tessi-Ussak  at  11.45  p.  m.  of  the 
same  day,  Governor  Jansen  having  boarded  her  outside 


CHART 

Showing  tt»?  Tracks  of  thr 

U.S.S.  JUNIATA  AND  TIGRESS 

and    of    the 

"'LITTLE  JUXIATA" 


Polaris  House  Found.  585 

and  offered  his  services  as  pilot,  which  were  accepted  with     1873. 

August. 

pleasure. 

Having1   communicated   with   the   Juniata's   steam- 

o 

launch,  and  learned  that  no  information  concerning  the 
Polaris  had  heen  received,  Commander  Greer  parted  com 
pany  with  the  launch  and  stood  to  the  northward.  At  10 
a.  m.  of  the  13th,  he  passed  near  enough  to  Cape  York  to 
see  signals,  for  which  a  bright  lookout  was  kept  at  all 
times.  From  Cape  York  north,  he  skirted  the  shores  as 
closely  as  possible,  examining  also  North  Star  Bay. 

On  the  14th,  he  examined  Netilik  Harbor.  Skirting 
Northumberland  Island,  he  satisfied  himself  that  this  was 
not  the  place  where  the  separation  of  the  Polaris  from  the 
ice-floe  occurred,  and  continued  on  to  Capes  Parry  and 
Alexander,  and  examined  Hartstene  Bay.  At  9  p.  m.  of 
the  same  day,  after  passing  Littleton  and  McGary  Islands, 
Commander  Greer  was  convinced  that  he  had  arrived  at 
the  place  of  which  he  was  in  search,  and,  standing  well  in 
to  the  shore,  lowered  a  boat. 

He  had  found  the  spot  occupied  by  the  crew  of  the 
Polaris  the  preceding  winter.  It  was  then  in  the  posses 
sion  of  Esquimaux,  from  whom  he  learned  the  story  of 
Captain  Budington's  party.  The  chief  of  the  Esquimaux 
told  Commander  Greer  that  Captain  Budington  had  given 
him  the  vessel ;  and  that,  some  time  after  the  departure 
of  the  crew,  the  ice  had  broken  up  in  a  gale,  and  the 


586  The  Polaris  Sunk. 

1873.     vessel  was  forced  about  a  mile  and  a  half  toward  the  pas- 
August. 

sa<re  between  Littleton  Island  and  the  mainland,  where 

O  ' 

she  sank.  Commander  Greer  saw  the  broken  hawsers. 
The  chief  said  that  he  saw  the  ship  go  down,  and  very 
much  regretted  her  loss;  he  took  Lieutenant-Commander 

o 

H.  C.  White  to  the  spot,  but  it  was  then  covered  by  two 
small  ice-bergs  with  a  heavy  floe  attached,  which  had 
grounded  on  the  wreck. 

The  wooden  house  constructed  by  the  crew  of  the 
Polaris  was  still  standing,  with  its  bunks,  mattresses,  fur 
niture,  galley,  &c.,  as  also  was  the  rough  carpenter's 
bench ;  while  provisions,  instruments,  books,  and  stores  of 
various  kinds  were  scattered  in  every  direction.  All  the 
manuscripts,  including  a  mutilated  log-book,  and  all  the 
other  books  not  torn  into  pieces,  together  with  some  fire 
arms  and  broken  instruments,  the  ship's  bell,  and  some 
medical  stores,  were  taken  on  board  the  Tigress.  The 
provisions  were  of  no  value.  No  cairn,  or  place  of  con 
cealment,  for  records  or  papers  was  found. 

At  this  time,  the  weather  was  quite  threatening — 
thick,  squally,  and  snowing  at  times ;  an  ice-pack  ex 
tended  across  Smith's  Sound  northward  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach. 

At  2.15  a.  m.  of  the  15th,  Commander  Greer  stood 
to  the  southward,  keeping  a  lookout  for  the  people;  at 
noon  of  the  next  day,  he  passed  Cape  York  near  enough 


The  Search  of  the  Egress.  587 

«/  Cr 

to  have  seen  signals.     On  the  19th.  at  2.30  p.  m.,  he  com-     1873. 

August. 

municatcd  with  Governor  Jansen  at  Tessi-Ussak,  but 
obtained  no  news;  and  at  9.30  p.  m.  he  anchored  at 
Upernavik,  where  also  nothing  had  been  heard  of  the 
Polaris. 

At  Upernavik,  he  remained  four  days,  and  then  sailed 
for  Godhavn.  He  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
crew  of  the  Polaris  had  been  picked  up  by  a  whaler,  and 
this  opinion  was  confirmed  when  he  learned  that  nine 
whalers  had  been  spoken,  all  of  which  expected  to  sight 
Cape  York. 

In  accordance  with  the  instructions  of  the  Depart 
ment,  "to  make  thorough  search  for  the  crew,"  Com 
mander  Greer,  after  refitting  at  Disco,  crossed  over  to  the 
wrest  side  of  Davis  Straits,  and,  falling  in  with  the  pack-ice, 
skirted  it  to  the  south  and  west,  going  into  every  lead 
which  indicated  a  passage.  He  tried  to  get  into  Exeter 
Sound,  but  found  the  ice  packed  tight  to  the  shore,  and 
finally  anchored  at  Niantlik  in  Cumberland  Sound. 

His  object  here  was  to  fall  in  with  some  of  the 
whaling-vessels  which,  on  their  return,  follow  the  western 
shore.  Meeting  with  none,  he  sailed,  on  the  16th  of  Sep 
tember,  for  Ivigtuk,  Greenland,  where  he  was  detained  for 
some  days  by  necessary  repairs  to  his  machinery. 

On  the  4th  of  October,  he  made  another  run  to  the 
northward,  without  meeting  the  objects  of  his  search ;  on 


588  The  Complement  of  the  "Little  Juniata" 

1873.     the  17th,  he  reached  Saint  John's;  and,  on  the  10th  of 

August. 

November,  anchored  in  New  York. 


The  narrative  now  returns  to  the  Juniata,  Com 
mander  Braine,  which  wras  left,  on  the  llth  of  August,  at 
Uperuavik. 

On  the  12th,  Commander  Braine  received  the  report 
of  the  cruise  of  the  steam-launch  Little  Juniata,  the  depart 
ure  of  which  has  been  already  mentioned. 

Her  officers,  all  of  whom  were  volunteers,  were:  — 
Lieutenant  G.  W.  De  Long,  commanding ; 
Lieutenant  C.  W.  Chipp  ; 
Ensign  S.  H.  May  ; 
Mr.  Henry  W.  Dodge,  ice-pilot. 
Her  crew  were  :  — 

Frank  Hamilton,  machinist ; 
Richard  Street,  boatswain's  mate ; 

Martin  T.  Maher,  ) 

w.n.        T..  >  seamen. 

William  King,      V 

At  11  p.  m.,  August  2,  the  Little  Juniata  arrived  at 
Tessi-Ussak,  where  she  lei't  the  dingy,  from  which  GOO 
pounds  of  coal  were  landed,  for  future  use.  Next  day,  she 
steamed  northward,  winding  her  w<ay  among  the  icebergs, 
and  keeping  close  in  to  the  "land,  both  for  the  sake  of 
smooth  water  and  of  safe  anchorage  in  the  event  of  a  fog. 


<8  Thf.   tfemplement  of  tftv  **/*<:• 

IS7».     tin    !7rb,  be.  a-acued  Saint  John's:  <ind,  on  the   10th  of 

"-  *:R?S>! 

Noven?U:i\  aftchorud  in  New  York 


The   narrat'tvi:   «*>\v   r^tir  .<^  to    the   Juniata,  Coni- 
matider  Bi-a.iwt?..  »•&«  '•  *,  ou  the  llth  of  August,  a-t 

<hj  \\»    \  All,  Comit   •  4er  l>raine  received  the  report 
«*f  UiO  • !.» ->:*-'  ^""'*hfc  stx-urn-  *unch  Little  Juniata,  the  depart- 

•-??  h«ij  l.«?ea  9   eady  mentioned. 
-:,  tjjlkxr-',  all  o'  --iioitj  were  volunteers,  v/erc:  — 
iJfaU^iiun  G    $.  Do  Long,  commanding; 
Liemtruant  <"    W.  Ciiipp  : 
Eiwi^i*  H.      ,  M'n-v  ; 
Mr   !Kiir    W.  Dodge,  ice-pilot. 

Fidtik     .G,?.5itU«ni,  machinist; 

Kieh?  --t  Slr'>a,  l-oaiswain's  mate; 

Ma«    i  T.  M >!i^ 

W  am  Iviiiv;, 
At  p.  in.,  August  2,  tfuj  Little  Juniata  arnv-.-»l  at 
Tf*sfci-f  »ik,  where  she  loJl  the  dingy,  from  which  <>00 
|xwwt'  4  i-oal  were  In.nded,  i<»r  future  use.  Next  day,  she 
•-i;«>fl  4  Ui»rt!»wa-fd?  winding  lier  wjiy  among  the  icebergp, 
«r?  ^^}»ttj(  close,  in  t«>  the  land,  both  for  the  sjike  oi 
of  sak 


590  The  Launch  in  a  Gale. 

1873.     violence  to  a  great  distance;    and  this  was  continuous. 

Angus*. 

The  launch  was,  at  times,  half-buried  in  the  seas,  and  she 
shipped  so  much  wrater  that  everything  was  deluged.  It 
rained  in  torrents.  This  was  one  of  those  critical  situa 
tions  in  which  safety  depends  absolutely  upon  the  mast, 
the  canvas,  and  the  rigging.  As  long  as  these  hold  on, 
the  skill  of  the  seaman  can  insure  security  from  destruc 
tion;  if  they  fail,  all  is  lost ;  and  yet,  at  such  moments  of 
extreme  emergency,  no  additional  means  of  strength  can 
be  applied,  either  to  the  mast  or  canvas.  Providentially, 
everything  held,  and  the  boat  was  kept  under  control. 
In  this  condition,  the  launch  remained  until  10  o'clock  of 
the  9th,  during  a  period  of  thirty  hours;  finally  the  wind 
lulled.  An  attempt  was  made  to  light  a  fire  under  the 
boiler,  but  the  matches  and  tinder  were  wet  and  useless, 
and  it  was  several  hours  before  a  friction-match,  kept 
near  the  skin,  was  sufficiently  dried  to  be  lighted.  A 
candle  in  the  lantern  was  lit,  but  immediately  blown  out ; 
it  was  necessary  to  repeat  the  process.  The  wood  being 
wet,,  a  fire  was  started  by  pouring  oil  plentifully  over  cot 
ton-waste  and  junk. 

This  was  the  turning-point  of  the  Little  Juniata's 
cruise.  One-half  of  the  fuel  was  expended,  and  what 
remained  was  damaged.  Lieutenant  De  Lon£,  having  come 

<— '  O7  O 

up  on  the  in-shore  track,  determined  to  return  by  the  mid- 
channel,  or  off-shore  track,  in  order  to  have  another  chance 


Coal  Mines  on  the   Waigat.  591 

of  seeing  something  of  the  Polaris  or  of  her  people.     The     1873. 

August. 

wind  hauling  to  the  westward,  the  storm-swell  subsided, 
the  weather  cleared  up,  and  the  ice  was  soon  lost  to  sight 
astern. 

The  morning  of  Sunday,  the  10th,  was  pleasant  and 
promising.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  the  Devil's  Thumb 
was  seen  at  a  distance  of  60  miles.  The  weather,  which 
was  variable,  became  again  cloudy  and  squally,  with  snow, 
hail,  and  rain.  Monday  was  a  pleasant  day,  and  on  Tues 
day,  the  12th,  the  launch  having  communicated  with 
the  Tigress  off  the  harbor  of  Tessi-Ussak,  went  in,  took 
on  board  the  600  pounds  of  coal,  and  rejoined  the  Juni- 
ata  at  Upernavik. 

While  Commander  Braiue  was  in  Godhavn  waiting 
the  return  of  the  Tigress,  he  employed  his  leisure  time  in 
looking  for  coal.  He  dispatched  the  Little  Juniata  to  the 
mines  on  the  Waigat,  on  the  north  side  of  the  island,  90 
miles  from  the  anchorage,  to  inspect  the  coal,  and  obtain, 
if  possible,  a  supply.  The  mines  are  a  short  distance  from 
the  beach,  about  100  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and 
the  coal  is  easily  obtained  by  the  usual  means.  It  is  de 
scribed  by  Commander  Braiue  in  the  following  words: — 

''The  coal  proved  frail  in  its  structure,  not  bearing 
much  handling,  and  wras  obtained  in  lumps.  It  was  ex 
perimented  with  for  fifteen  hours'  steaming  in  the  Little 
Juniata,  using  salt-water.  It  ignites  easily,  burns  freely, 


592  Coal  of  the  Waigat. 

1873.     "and  forms  very  little  clinker.     The  fine  coal  burns  nearly 

September 

as  well  as  the  lump.  A  regular  pressure  oi  steam  was 
kept  up,  20  pounds  to  the  square  inch,  with  the  furnace- 
doors  open  part  of  the  time,  and  at  no  time  was  the  sat 
uration  above  £.  By  weight,  I  judge  it  requires  about 
one-fourth  more  of  this  coal  to  be  consumed  in  any  given 
time  to  produce  a  mechanical  effect  equal  to  the  best 
Welsh  coal.  This  coal  is  bituminous  in  its  nature.  It 
produces  very  little  smoke,  of  a  brownish  color,  and  re 
quires  but  little  labor  in  stoking.  The  best  results,  as 
obtained,  are  from  a  thick  and  level  fire. 

"  While  in  this  locality,  several  veins  were  found 
which  indicated  good  coal,  and  large  quantities  of  it;  so 
easily  was  the  coal  mined  that  our  men,  nine  in  number, 
would  have  removed  and  carried  to  the  beach  one  hundred 
tons  in  eight  days  with  the  tools  which  we  used." 

On  the  31st  of  August,  the  Juniata  sailed  for  Saint 
John's,  arriving  there  September  10,  from  which  port 
Commander  Braine  informed  the  Department  by  telegraph 
that  Commander  Greer  had  discovered  the  deserted  camp 
of  the  Polaris  near  Littleton  Island,  and  that  her  officers 
and  crew  were  reported  by  the  Esquimaux  to  have  sailed 
south  early  in  June,  in  two  boats  built  from  the  Po 
laris. 

A  telegraphic  reply  of  the  same  day  directed  him  to 
continue  the  search  for  the  Polaris.  Commander  Braine, 


Return  of  the  Juniata.  593 

after  filling  up  with  coal,  again  left  port  on  the  18th  of     1873. 

October. 

September,  and,  at  midnight  of  that  date,  when  65  miles 
north  of  Saint  John's,  was  overtaken  by  the  British  steamer 
Hector,  which  vessel  had  been  promptly  and  thoughtfully 
chartered,  by  Consul  Mulloy,  for  this  very  purpose.  Con 
sul  Mulloy  had  the  pleasure  of  informing  him  of  the  safety 
of  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  Polaris.  This  information 
had  been  telegraphed  by  Mr.  Reid,  United  States  Vice- 
Consul  at  Dundee.  The  Juniata  immediately  returned  to 
Saint  John's.  On  the  19th  of  October,  in  obedience  to 
telegraphic  orders,  she  left  Saint  John's  for  New  York, 
where  she  arrived  on  the  25th. 


38 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 


EXAMINATION  OF  THE  PARTY  FROM  THE  POLARIS. 

It    has    been    already  said   that    the    part   of  the     1873. 

June. 

crew  of  the  Polaris  rescued  from  the  ice-floe  hy  the 
British  sealer  Tigress,  and  numbering  nineteen  persons, 
was  brought  from  Saint  John's  to  Washington  by  the 
United  States  steamer  Frolic,  under  orders  of  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Navy,  "  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  most 
full  and  reliable  information"  concerning  their  own  history, 
the  circumstances  under  which  they  left  the  Polaris,  and 
the  condition  of  that  vessel. 

On  their  arrival,  June  5,  1873,  Hon.  G.  M.  Robeson, 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  associated  with  himself  Commo 
dore  William  Reynolds,  the  senior  officer  of  the  Navy 
Department ;  Prof.  S.  F.  Baird,  assistant  secretary  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution  and  member  of  the  National  Acad 
emy;  and  Capt.  H.  W.  Howgate,  of  the  Army  Signal 
Service,  to  constitute  a  Board  of  Inquiry. 


598  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.  The  result  of  this  examination  is  contained  in  the 

June. 

following  report  to  the  President:  — 

^WASHINGTON,  D.  0.,  June  16,  1873. 
" To  the  President: 

11  The  undersigned  having  been  present  at  and  taken 
part  in  the  full  and  careful  examination  of  Mr.  George  E. 
Tyson,  assistant  navigator;  Frederick  Meyer,  meteorolo 
gist  ;  J.  W.  C.  Kriiger,  G.  W.  Linquist,  Frederick  Aun- 
ting,  Peter  Johnson,  Frederick  Jamka,  and  William  Nin- 
•demann,  seamen ;  John  Herron,  steward ;  William  Jack 
son,  cook;  and  Joe,  Hannah,  and  Hans,  Esquimaux; — 
all  late  of  the  steamer  Polaris,  and,  with  the  exception  of 
the  wife  of  Hans  and  five  children,  comprising  the  party 
which  was  separated  from  her  on  the  ice  in  October  last, 
and  picked  up  off  the  coast  of  Labrador  on  April  30th  of 
this  year  by  the  British  sealing-steamer  Tigress ; — give  the 
following  as  the  result  of  their  investigation. 

"  The  Polaris  left  Disco  on  the  17th  of  August,  1871, 
where  she  parted  company  with  the  Congress,  arriving  at 
Upernavik  the  next  day. 

"At  this  port  she  took  on  board  some  dogs,  seal  and 
dog  skins,  and  a  small  quantity  of  coal,  and  shipped  Hans 
Hendrick  (or  Christian),  Esquimaux  who  had  been  with 
Drs.  Kane  and  Hayes,  and  the  wife  of  Hans  and  three 
children.  It  was  expected  that  Jensen,  who  had  also 


Eeport  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  599 

"accompanied  Dr.  Hayes,  would  join  the  Polaris  at  Tessi-     1873. 

JllllC. 

Ussak. 

"  Leaving  Upernavik,  the  Polaris  touched  at  Tessi- 
Ussak,  and  there  procured  more  dogs  and  a  small  quantity 
of  ready-made  skin  clothing ;  but  Jensen  did  not  go  with 
the  Expedition. 

"  Leaving  Tessi-Ussak  on  the  24th,  she  proceeded 
northward  under  steam,  passing  through  Smith's  Sound  and 
Kennedy  Channel,  with  very  little  delay  or  obstruction 
from  the  ice. 

"  Near  Cape  Frazer,  Captain  Hall  examined  the  west 
ern  shore  in  a  boat  to  look  for  a  safe  wintering  place,  but 
was  unsuccessful  in  finding  one. 

"  Clearing  Kennedy  Channel  in  the  Polaris,  Captain 
Hall  found  himself  passing  through  a  large  sound  in  the 
precise  position  of  Kane's  open  polar  sea,  with  a  bay  on 
the  Greenland  side.  In  this  bay,  the  ship  subsequently 
wintered,  and  it  received  from  Captain  Hall  the  name 
of  Polaris  Bay.  Its  northern  cape  he  called  Cape  Lup- 
ton. 

"  Pressing  on  to  the  northward,  and  passing  through 
the  sound,  the  ship  entered  another  narrow  channel,  of 
about  twenty-five  to  thirty  miles  in  width,  with  high  land 
on  either  side,  and,  on  the  30th  of  August,  attained  the 
highest  northern  latitude  reached  by  the  Expedition,  in 
latitude  declared  by  Captain  Hall  to  be  82°  29'  K,  but 


GOO  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.     "afterward  found,  by  the  careful  calculation  of  Mr.  Meyer, 

June. 

to  be  82°  16'  K 

"At  this,  her  highest  point,  the  Polaris  was  still  in  the 
new  strait,  or  channel  which  she  had  discovered,  and  which 
Captain  Hall  named  'llobeson  Strait',  after  the  present 
Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

"Here  the  ship  was  met  by  heavy  floating  ice,  extend 
ing  entirely  across  the  Strait,  and  barring  her  further 
progress  northward. 

"After  making  unsuccessful  efforts  to  find  a-wTay 
through  the  ice,  Captain  Hall,  in  a  boat,  examined  a  small 
harbor  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  straits,  for  winter-quar 
ters.  This  being  found  unsuitable  for  the  purpose,  was 
named  'Repulse  Harbor'.  After  incurring  imminent 
risk,  the  ship  became  fairly  beset  in  these  straits,  and 
drifted  with  the  ice  to  the  southward,  out  of  them,  to  the 
latitude  of  81°  30'  N. ;  when,  the  pack  opening,  on  the  4th 
of  September  she  steamed  to  the  eastward,  and  found  her 
winter-quarters  in  a  small  sheltered  cove,  or  bend  of  the 
coast,  protected  by  a  stranded  iceberg  on  the  east  side  of 
Polaris  Bay,  in  latitude  81°  38'  K,  longitude  61°  44'  W. 
To  this  cove  Captain  Hall  gave  the  name  of  'Thank-God 
Harbor',  calling  the  iceberg  'Providence  Berg'. 

"At  midnight  on  the  4th  of  September,  1871,  Captain 
Hall  landed,  with  a  boat,  on  the  east  shore  of  Polaris  Bay, 
and,  in  the  name  of  God  and  of  the  President  of  the  United 


Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  601 

"  States,  raised  the  American  flag  on  the  land  he  had  dis-     1873. 

June. 

covered. 

"On  one  occasion,  while  beset  in  Robeson  Strait,  the 
Polaris  seemed  to  be  in  such  danger  of  being  crushed,  that 
provisions  were  placed  upon  the  ice,  and  measures  taken 
to  be  in  readiness  for  leaving  her;  but  she  happily  escaped 
without  injury. 

"  Immediately  after  securing  his  ship  in  winter-quar 
ters,  Captain  Hall  made  preparations  for  a  sledge-journey 
northward ;  and  other  work  was  commenced  by  landing  and 
setting  up  the  observatory,  getting  the  scientific  observa 
tions  under  way,  surveying  the  harbor,  clearing  up  the 
ship,  and  making  snug  for  the  winter. 

•"  On  the  10th  of  October,  Captain  Hall  left  the  Polaris, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Chester,  first  mate,  and  Esquimaux 
Joe  and  Hans,  with  two  sledges  and  fourteen  do^s.  Set- 

.  O  o 

ting  out  on  this  expedition,  the  first  step  taken  by  Captain 
Hall  fell  upon  land  more  northern  than  white  man's  foot 
had  ever  before  touched.  In  the  progress  of  the  journey — 
unhappily  the  last  that  Captain  Hall  was  to  make  toward 
the  Pole — he  discovered,  as  appears  by  his  dispatch,  a 
river,  a  lake,  and  a  large  inlet.  The  latter,  in  latitude 
81°  57'  N.,  he  named  'Newman's  Bay',  calling  its  north 
ern  point  'Cape  Brevoort',  and  the  southern  one  'Sumner 
Headland '. 

"At  Cape  Brevoort,  in  latitude  82°  2'  N.,  longitude 


602  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.     «(3i°  20'  W.,  lie  rested,  making  there  his  sixth  snow- 

June. 

encampment,  and  on  October  20th  wrote  his  last  dispatch 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  the  original  draft  of  which 

was  found,  in  his  own  handwriting,  in  his  writing-desk, 

• 

on  its  examination  in  Washington  after  it  was  delivered  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  hy  Esquimaux  Joe,  who  had 
kept  the  desk  in  his  custody  from  the  time  it  was  picked 
up  on  the  ice,  after  the  separation  of  the  rescued  party 
from  the  ship. 

"A  copy  of  this  dispatch,  so  singularly  preserved,  ac 
companies  this  report.*  Captain  Hall  himself  deposited  a 
transcript  of  it  in  a  cairn  on  the  side  of  the  mountain  at 
Cape  Brevoort. 

"  Captain  Hall,  it  appears,  had  hoped,  when  he  left  the 
Polaris  on  this  journey,  to  advance  northward  at  least  a 
hundred  miles;  hut,  after  having  gone  about  fifty,  he  was 
compelled,  by  the  condition  of  the  shore  and  of  the  ice, 
and  by  the  state  of  the  climate,  to  return  and  await  the 
approach  of  spring  for  another  attempt. 

"  He  reached  the  ship  on  the  24th  of  October,  appar 
ently  in  his  usual  fine  health,  but  was  attacked  the  same 
day  with  sickness  of  the  stomach  arid  vomiting;  and,  taking 
to  his  bed,  the  next  day  was  found  to  be  seriously  ill.  His 
most  marked  symptoms  seemed  from  the  evidence  to 
have  been  such  as  indicated  congestion  of  the  brain,  ac- 

*  See  page  1C3  of  this  Narrative. 


Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  603 

"  companied  by  delirium  and  partial  paralysis  of  one  side.     1873. 

June. 

The  witnesses  all  state  that  his  attack  was  called  'apo 
plexy',  and  some  of  them  speak  of  their  own  knowledge 
of  his  paralysis  and  delirium.  He  recovered,  however, 
after  some  days,  sufficiently  to  leave  his  bed,  to  move 
about  his  cabin  a  little,  and  to  attempt  to  attend  to  business, 
but  soon  had  a  relapse,  became  again  delirious,  and  died 
on  the  8th  of  November,  1871.  Three  days  afterward  he 
was  buried  on  the  shore. 

"  From  personal  examination  of  all  the  witnesses,  and 
from  their  testimony  as  given,  we  reach  the-  unanimous 
conclusion  that  the  death  of  Captain  Hall  resulted  natur 
ally  from  disease,  without  fault  on  the  part  of  any  one. 
During  his  illness,  he  was  under  the  medical  care  of  Dr. 
Bessels ;  and  as  none  of  the  persons  now  here  are  capable 
of  giving  a  more  particular  account  of  the  nature  and 
symptoms  of  this  fatal  sickness,  the  return  of  the  Polaris 
must  be  awaited  for  precise  information.  All  the  persons 
examined  testify  to  the  uniform  kindness  and  care  of  Cap 
tain  Hall,  and  to  the  good  order  and  efficient  condition  of 
the  Polaris  while  under  his  command. 

"  On  the  death  of  Captain  Hall,  Mr.  Budington  suc 
ceeded  to  the  command  of  the  Polaris,  as  had  been  pro 
vided  for  in  the  Instructions  for  the  voyage  issued  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

"  The  winter  was  passed  as  is  usual  in  the  Arctic 


604  Eeport  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.  «<  regions,  but  without  any  suffering  from  the  cold,  from 
disease,  or  from  the  want  of  proper  provisions.  The 
scientific  observations  were  diligently  kept  up.  Polaris 
arid  Newman's  Bays  were  surveyed,  and  the  coast-line  to 
the  southward  of  Polaris  Bay  was  examined  for  over  sev 
enty  miles.  The  crew  were  variously  employed,  and  the 
Esquimaux  hunted  whenever  opportunity  permitted. 

"About  the  latter  part  of  November,  in  a 'heavy  gale 
from  the  northeast,  the  Polaris  dragged  her  anchors,  but 
brought  up  against  the  large  iceberg  before  mentioned, 
which  wras  aground  in  the  bay.  She  was  finally  made 
fast  to  it,  and  so  remained  till  the  following  summer. 

"  During  the  winter,  she  was  forced  by  the  pressure  of 
other  ice  sweeping  down  against  her,  upon  the  foot  of 
Providence  Berg;  and  being  subsequently  carried  higher 
upon  it  by  the  rising  of  the  tide  and  renewed  pressure 
from  the  ice,  she  thus  remained  until  June,  1872.  Her 
stem-piece,  resting  uneasily  during  the  whole  of  the  stormy 
winter  on  this  ice-bed,  was  cracked,  and  some  of  her  bow- 
planks  split,  causing  her  to  leak  after  she  again  got  afloat. 
She  seems  to  have  leaked  somewhat  freely  at  first,  and 
the  steam-pumps  were  worked  to  clear  her  out ;  but  sub 
sequently  the  deck-pumps,  used  about  six  minutes  per 
hour,  were  found  sufficient  to  keep  her  clear. 

"  Early  in  June,  before  the  Polaris  was  released  from 
the.  ice,  Captain  Budington  dispatched  Mr.  Chester  and 


Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  605 

"Mr.  Tyson,  with  two  boats,  to  endeavor  to  get  as  far  north  * 873« 
as  practicable.  This  party  lost  one  boat,  which  was 
crushed  in  the  ice,  almost  at  the  commencement  of  their 
journey;  the  loss  was,  however,  supplied  from  the  Polaris 
by  the  canvas  boat,  and,  with  much  difficulty  and  delay, 
they  got  as  far  north  as  Newman's  Bay.  They  there 
waited  the  possible  opening  of  the  ice  until  the  middle- of 
July,  when  written  orders  from  Captain  Budington  directed 
their  return  to  the  ship.  They  were  unable  to  transport  the 
boats,  and,  leaving  them  on  the  shore,  started  on  foot,  and 
arrived  on  board  after  an  absence  of  about  six  weeks. 

"While  they  were  away,  and  some  time  in  June,  the 
Polaris  had  broken  out  of  her  winter-quarters,  and  had 
made  several  attempts  to  proceed  northward  to  pick  up  the 
party  with  the  boats ;  but  the  ice  was  found  to  be  impassa 
ble,  and  Captain  Budington,  on  receiving  the  party  on 
board,  determined  to  make  the  best  of  his  way  southward 
to  the  United  States  as  soon  as  the  ice  would  permit. 
They  started  southward  August  12th,  1872,  and  slowly 
made  their  way  along  the  western  shore  until  the  next 
day,  when  the  ship,  having  got  further  in  mid-channel, 
was  badly  beset  by  the  ice  in  latitude  about  80°  40'  N., 
and  was  in  danger  of  wreck  for  some  hours,  when  she  was 
freed  again. 

"  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  12th,  the  day  of  start 
ing  southward,  the  family  of  Hans  Christian  was  increased 


606  Eeport  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.     «by  the  birth  of  a  son,  who  was  christened  Charles  Polaris, 

June. 

and  who  made  one  of  the  party  afterward  left  on  the  ice 
floe. 

"On  the  16th  of  August,  the  ship  was  made  fast  to  a 
large  floe  of  ice  in  the  latitude  of  80°  2'  N.,  and  longi 
tude  about  68°  W.,  and  while  still  fast  to  this  floe  drifted 
south  through  Smith's  Sound  nearly  to  Northumberland 
Island. 

"  In  pursuance  of  the  usual  orders  under  similar  cir 
cumstances,  a  quantity  of  provisions  and  some  fuel  had 
been  placed  on  the  deck  of  the  steamer,  in  readiness  to  be 
removed  to  the  ice  should  the  safety  of  the  ship  become 
endangered  ;  and  it  was  ordered  and  understood  that,  if  a 
crisis  should  be  imminent,  not  only  these  stores,  but  cloth 
ing,  papers,  records,  instruments,  guns,  ammunition,  &c., 
were  also  to  be  put  upon  the  floe,  in  order  to  preserve  the 
lives  of  the  party  and  the  results  of  the  expedition,  should 
it  become  necessary  to  abandon  the  ship  and  to  take  refuge 
on  the  ice.  A  canvas  hut  had  also  been  erected  upon  the 
floe  for  shelter  should  the  ship  be  lost. 

"On  the  night  of  the  15th  of  October,  1872,  in  about 
latitude  77°  35'  N.,  during  a  violent  gale  of  wind  and 
snow,  the  need  for  such  preparations  became  apparent,  as 
the  ship  was  suddenly  beset  by  a  tremendous  pressure  of 
ice,  which  was  driven  against  her  from  the  southward,  and 
forced  under  her,  pressing  her  up  out  of  the  water,  and, 


Report  of  thr   //•*•.?••  •#'' 
*'bv  the  birth  of  a  son,  wb<  *«*  *-&*:;.     T^M  Holies  Polaris. 

J 

and  who  mudc  on«  of  *Jw     J^M    ^  manl  left  on  the  ice 
floe. 

"(hi  t!***  *v,H  •.    *:,.;•;?>•*„  *h£  Miipwas  made  fast  to  a 

hint*  HOP.  -  &*  Iwit^do  of  80°  2'  N.,  and  lonei- 

^-> 

tude  a^KMit-  *'^         .  ^  -=v-i':!*»  still  -fast  to  this  iloe  drifted 
:?   :  iTiiUt--  Bi;und  nearly  to  Northumberland 

' 

";s^<,;,  a  quantity  of  provisions  and  some  fuel  had 
'i  the  deck  of  ihe  steamer,  in  readiness  to  be 
:-•««; :    \  i-   JI?c  ice  **iOiii>.)  ?i;-.:  i«felv  of  Che  ^iin  becunie 
•-;  ;;  und  it  was  ordered  and  understood  ibjt.1,  i '  a 

.  jpnpers,  records,  instruments,  iruns,  ammunition,  &e., 
vv^ro  also  to  be  put  upon  the  floe,'iri  order  to  preserve  the 
ivrtj  of  the  party  and  the  results  of  the  expedition,  shoukl 
k  Income  necessary  to  abandon  the  ship  and  to  take  refuge 
on  th«-  iee.  A  canvas  hut  had  also  been. erected  upon  the 
floe  for  shfjter  should  the  ship  be  lost. 

"(hi  the  fiifht  of  the  loth  of  October,  1872.  in  about 
^e  77r'  3Z-    N  .  during-  a  violent  gale  of  wind  and 

c 

sw^itii:  my  txs&l  by  a  tremendous  pressure  of 
:>>  ,  wli.|r-ii          J<ivon  against  her  AWTI  the  southward,  and 

-»iii{£  l.-er  up  out  of  the  water,  and. 


608  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1 873.     "failed,  notwithstanding  their  most  persistent  efforts.  o 

June. 

to  the  obstruction  of  the  ice  and  the  violence  of  the  wind. 
While  thus  striving  to  get  on  shore,  but  at  what  particular 
time  of  the  day  is  not  exactly  ascertained,  the  Polaris  came 
in  sight  to  the  northward,  apparently  coming  toward  the 
floe,  under  steam  and  sails.  An  India-rubber  blanket 
was  hoisted  on  an  oar,  and  displayed  from  the  top  of  a 
hummock;  the  colors  were  set,  and  other  signals  were 
made  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  Polaris;  and  as  she 
approached  so  near  to  them  that  they  plainly  saw  her 
down  to  her  rail,  and  could  distinguish  her  escape-pipe, 
and  kept  on  toward  them  until  they  supposed  her  to  be  not 
more  than  four  miles  off,  they  felt  sure  she  could  force  her 
way  through  the  ice  to  their  position;  and  that  in  a  little 
while  they  would  be  again  on  board.  In  this  they  w^ere 
disappointed;  the  Polaris  altered  her  course  and  disap 
peared  behind  the  shore.  Some  time  afterward,  as  the 
floe  drifted  away,  she  was  again  seen  by  some  of  the  men 
under  the  land,  with  her  sails  furled,  and  apparently  at 
anchor,  or  made  fast  to  the  shore  or  the  ice. 

"  It  is  most  likely  that  the  party  on  the  ice  was  seen 
from  the  Polaris.  The  hut  erected  on  the  floe,  the  ship's 
boats,  the  colors,  the  elevated  signal-blanket,  and  the 
group  of  nineteen  persons  standing  in  relief  against  a  white 
background,  could  scarcely  have  remained  unnoticed. 

"  It  was  natural  that,  under  the  circumstances,  the 


Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  609 

"party  on  the  ice  should  have  felt  deeply  disappointed  at  1873. 
the  failure  of  the  ship  to  come  to  their  relief,  and  should,  at 
the  time,  have  ascribed  it  to  overcaution,  if  not  indifference, 
rather  than  inability  on  the  part  of  her  responsible  com 
mander  ;  neither  is  it  unnatural  that  this  feeling,  fostered 
during  the  weary  watches  of  their  long  winter  upon  the 
ice,  should  still  remain  to  affect  in  a  greater  or  less  degree 
their  present  judgment  on  the  subject;  but  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  they,  like  ourselves,  were  and  are  without 
full  information  of  the  actual  condition  of  the  Polaris  at 
the  time  spoken  of,  and  cannot  know  how  far  the  real 
dangers  of  their  position  were  understood  and  appreciated 
by  those  on  board  of  her.  Such  information  and  knowl 
edge  are  absolutely  necessary  to  a  correct  judgment,  and 
must  not  be  assumed  as  the  foundation  of  censure  against 
persons  acting  under  circumstances  so  trying  and  uncertain, 
wTho,  by  reason  of  their  enforced  absence,  have  no  oppor 
tunity  for  explanation.  Considering  the  subject  dispas 
sionately,  and  remembering  the  Polaris  had  been  so  roughly 
handled  by  the  ice  the  night  before,  that  both  captain  and 
crew  thought  she  would  be  lost,  and  attempted  the  removal 
of  her  provisions  and  materials  to  the  floe ;  that  when  she 
broke  adrift  and  was  swept  off  by  the  gale,  her  steam- 
pipes,  valves,  and  connections  were  frozen  solid,  and  that 
she  was  for  hours  without  steam,  unmanageable  amid  the 
floating  ice ;  that  she  was  still  leaking  from  her  broken 

39 


610  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.  "stem,  and  had  probably  received  other  injuries  after  she 
went  adrift ;  and  that  she  was  left  without  a  single  boat 
of  any  kind,  it  seems  most  likely  that  her  actual  condition 
was  such  as  to  impose  upon  her  commander  the  duty  of 
getting  her,  with  the  lives  and  property  which  remained 
under  his  charge,  at  once  into  a  position  of  safety  under 
the  shelter  of  Northumberland  Island,*  where  she  was 
last  seen  by  the  party  on  the  floe.  If  such  were  the  state 
of  the  case,  the  first  duty  of  Captain  Budington  under  such 
circumstances  was  to  look  to  his  vessel,  particularly  as  he 
probably  believed  that  the  party  on  the  ice  could,  by  the 
aid  of  the  two  boats,  the  kyaks,  and  the  scow  in  their  pos 
session,  find  their  way  back  to  the  Polaris  quite  as  easily 
as  he  could  force  his  way  to  them. 

"  But  whatever  might  have  been  his  opinion  or  theirs, 
the  elements  quickly  determined  the  question.  Shortly 
after  the  Polaris  had  been  sighted  for  the  second  time,  a 
violent  gale  from  the  northeast  sprung  up,  the  weather 
became  thick,  the  ship  and  the  land  were  lost  sight  of,  and 
the  ice-floe  drifted  away  to  the  southward,  with  these 
nineteen  persons  still  upon  it.  In  view  of  the  circum 
stances  detailed,  it  is  therefore  our  unanimous  judgment 
that  this  final  separation  from  the  ship  was  also  accidental. 

"From  October  15th,  1872,  until  April  30th,  1873, 
when  they  were  picked  up  in  latitude  about  59 °t  north,  these 

*  Subsequently  ascertained  to  have  been  Littleton  Island, 
t  Subsequently  ascertained  to  have  been  53°  30'  N. 


Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  611 

"nineteen  men,  women,  and  children  remained  through  the     1873. 

June. 

whole  of  the  dark  and  dreary  winter  upon  the  ice.  In 
their  first  endeavors  to  reach  the  land,  they  occupied  for  a 
time  different  pieces  of  floating  ice,  hut  forced  finally  to 
abandon  all  hope  in  this  direction,  they  rested  at  last  upon 
the  floe  upon  which  the  Polaris  had  made  fast  August  15th, 
1872,  in  latitude  80°  2' N.,  and  from  which  she  broke 
adrift  on  the  night  of  October  15th,  following. 

"  The  original  extent  of  this  floe  they  estimated  at 
about  five  miles  in  circumference.  Snow-huts  were  built 
by  the  Esquimaux,  in  which  they  lived  and  kept  their  pro 
visions.  Of  these  they  had  saved  a  fair  supply,  which  they 
apportioned  and  divided  by  means  of  weights  made  from 
shot,  with  rude  scales  devised  by  Mr.  Meyer.  Occasion 
ally  during  the  winter  the  Esquimaux  shot  a  seal,  and  once 
they  killed  a  bear,  and  thus  renewed  their  supply  of  meat. 

"On  the  1st  of  April,  finding  their  icy  quarters  much 
reduced  by  the  breaking -up  of  the  floe,  and  that  the  cur 
rent  was  then  setting  them  to  the  southeast  and  out  to  sea, 

O 

they  launched  their  boat  into  open  water,  and  pulled 
toward  the  west,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  gain  the  coast. 
At  times,  meeting  ice  too  closely  packed  to  get  through, 
they  were  compelled  to  haul  the  boat  upon  it,  launching 
her  again  as  soon  as  a  lead  opened  to  the  westward  or 
southward.  In  this  way  they  passed  a  month  of  weary 
and  desperate  endeavor. 


612  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.  "Toward  the  close  of  April,  their  provisions  were 

June. 

almost  exhausted,  and  they  were  one  day  absolutely  reduced 
to  less  than  a  biscuit  apiece  and  a  mouthful  of  pemmican, 
when  a  bear,  scenting  them  on  the  ice,  approached  them 
and  was  shot,  and  they  were  thus  rescued  from  starvation. 

"Kevived  by  this  good  fortune,  and  strengthened  by 
their  new  supply  of  fresh  meat,  they  struggled  on  till  the 
last  day  of  April,  1873,  when  they  were  rescued  by  the 
Tigress.  At  this  time,  they  had  the  coast  of  Labrador  in 
sight,  distant  about  forty  miles,  and  were  hoping  to  reach 
it  before  their  provisions  were  exhausted. 

"  The  circumstances  of  this  most  extraordinary  voyage 
are  given  at  length  by  the  witnesses,  and  are  particularly 
detailed  in  the  diaries  that  some  of  the  rescued  party  made, 
day  by  day,  upon  the  ice,  and  which  are  copied  in  the 
testimony. 

"After  their  rescue,  although  enfeebled  by  scanty  diet 
and  long  exposure,  and  mentally  depressed  by  their  iso 
lated  and  unhappy  situation,  so  fearfully  prolonged  and  of 
such  uncertain  issue,  the  general  health  of  these  hardy 
voyagers  remained  good,  and,  when  their  trials  and  anxie 
ties  were  ended,  they  soon  regained  their  usual  strength. 

"At  the  time  of  their  separation  from  the  Polaris, 
every  one  belonging  to  the  expedition  was  in  good  health. 
Nineteen  were  upon  the  ice-iloc,  and  they  believed  that 
all  the  rest  were  safe  and  on  board  the  ship.  The  Polaris 


Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  613 

"had  not  then  repaired  her  broken  stern,  and  still  leaked     1873. 

June. 

somewhat,  but  was  easily  freed  by  the  deck-pumps.  She 
had  plenty  of  provisions,  but  not  much  coal — probably 
about  enough  to  last  through  the  winter.  She  was  last 
seen,  apparently  at  anchor,  under  Northumberland  Island,* 
where  it  is  most  likely  she  remained  for  winter-quarters. 
Dr.  Hayes  found  Esquimaux  residing  on  that  island,  and 
the  Esquimaux  settlement  at  Netlik  is  close  by.  Com 
munication  with  these  people  would  be  easily  opened  and 
maintained,  and  no  apprehension  for  the  Polaris,  or,  in  the 
absence  of  accident  or  sickness,  for  those  on  board,  is  en 
tertained  by  any  of  the  rescued  persons. 

"As  to  the  question  whether  the  ship  can  make  her 
wray  to  the  Danish  settlements  at  Upernavik  or  Disco, 
without  steam,  if  she  gets  free  from  the  ice  this  season, 
supposing  her  to  be  in  as  good  condition  as  when  the  res 
cued  party  was.  last  on  board,  the  witnesses  differ  in  judg 
ment;  but  the  safer,  if  not  the  better  opinion  is  that  she 
will  need  assistance  to  bring  her  completely  and  safely  out. 
Northumberland  Island  is  in  latitude  77°  35'  N.  A  well- 
found  ship,  with  average  good  fortune,  would  be  able  to 
reach  that  island  in  the  summer,  and  to  return  in  the 
autumn.  It  is  possible  that  the  Polaris  may  be  able  to 
return  without  assistance  ;  but,  as  she  remains  within  the 

*  Subsequently  shown  to  have  been  Littleton  Island — see  page  585 
of  this  Narrative. 


614  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.     "Arctic  circle,  not  sound  in  her  hull,  with  little  fuel,  and 

June. 

with  many  precious  lives  on  board,  and  with  the  records 
and  collections  of  her  cruise  in  their  possession,  we  are 
unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  this  possibility  should  not 
be  assumed,  and  that  a  suitable  vessel  should,  as  soon  as 
possible,  be  procured  and  sent  in  search  of  her,  to  render 
her  return  as  certain  and  speedy  as  may  be.  While  a 
suitable  ship,  constructed  and  fitted  for  voyages  among  the 
ice,  is  getting  ready,  we  believe  it  would  be  well  to  dis 
patch  such  naval  vessel  as  may  be  available,  to  carry  for 
ward  proper  supplies  of  coal  and  provisions  for  the  relief 
of  the  Expedition,  to  inform  the  authorities  of  Greenland  of 
the  condition  of  affairs,  to  gather  all  possible  information 
from  them  and  from  the  Esquimaux  of  the  coast,  and,  if 
possible,  by  means  of  the  latter,  to  send  some  intimations  of 
speedy  relief  to  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  ice-bound  ship. 
"From  the  testimony,  it  appears  that  every  possible 
opportunity  was  embraced  by  the  members  of  the  scien 
tific  corps  of  the  expedition  to  carry  out  the  instructions 
given ;  the  only  direction  in  which  there  seems  to  have 
been  a  partial  failure  being  in  reference  to  the  use  of  the 
photographic  apparatus  and  the  dredge.  This,  however, 
was  due  to  the  absence  of  suitable  opportunities,  or  to 
some  insurmountable  impediment  at  the  time.  While  the 
records  of  the  astronomical,  meteorological,  magnetic, 
tidal,  and  other  physical  departments  of  the  exploration 


June. 


Ecport  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  615 

"appear  to  have  been  extremely  full,  and  the  ohserva-     1873. 
tions  in  each  appear  to  have  heen  conducted  according  to 
approved  methods,  the  collections  of  natural  history  are 
shown  to  have  heen  not  less  extensive,  the  store-rooms  of 
the  Polaris  being  filled  with  skins  and  skeletons  of  musk- 

o 

oxen,  bears,  and  other  mammals ;  different  specimens  of 
birds  and  their  eggs ;  numerous  marine  invertebrate. ; 
plants,  both  recent  and  fossil;  minerals,  &c.  Not  the  least 
interesting  of  these  collections  are  specimens  of  driftwood 
picked  up  on  or  near  the  shores  of  Newman's  and  Polaris 
Bays,  among  which  Mr.  Meyer  thought  he  recognized  dis 
tinctly  the  walnut,  the  ash,  and  the  pine.  Among  the 
numerous  facts  that  appear  to  be  shown  by  the  testimony 
elicited  on  the  examination,  we  may  mention,  as  one  of 
much  interest,  that  the  deviation  of  the  needle  amounted 
to  96°,  being  less  than  at  Port  Foulke  and  Rensselaer 
Harbor,  as  given  by  Dr.  Kane  and  Dr.  Hayes.  Auroras 
were  frequent,  but  by  no  means  brilliant ;  generally  quite 
light,  and  consisting  sometimes  of  one  arch,  and  sometimes 
of  several.  Streamers  were  quite  rare.  Only  in  one  in 
stance  (in  February,  1872)  did  the  aurora  appear  of  a  dis 
tinct  rosy  red.  This  was  foreboded  in  the  morning,  from 
8  to  10  o'clock,  by  a  very  decided  disturbance  of  the  mag 
netic  needle.  Shooting-stars  were  so  constantly  seen  that, 
although  no  special  shower  wTas  observed,  it  was  scarcely 
possible  ever  to  look  at  the  star-lit  sky  without  noticing 


616  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1 873,     « them  in  one  direction  or  another.     The  rise  and  fall  of  the 

June. 

tides  were  carefully  observed,  the  average  being  about  five 
and  a  half  feet..  The  greatest  depth  of  water  noticed  was 
about  one  hundred  fathoms.  The  existence  of  a  constant 
current  southward  was  noted  by  the  expedition,  its  rapidity 
varying  with  the  season  and  locality.  The  winter  tem 
perature  was  found  to  be  much  milder  than  was  expected, 
the  minimum  being  48°  below  zero  in  January,  although 
March  proved  to  be  the  coldest  month. 

"The  prevailing  winds  were  from  the  northeast, 
although  there  were  occasionally  violent  tempests  from 
the  southwest.  Light  winds  were  noticed,  however,  from 
all  points  of  the  compass.  Rain  was  occasionally  ob 
served — only  on  the  land,  however — the  precipitation 
presenting  itself  over  the  ice  in  the  form  of  snow.  Dur 
ing  the  summer,  the  entire  extent  of  lowlands  and  eleva 
tions  remains  bare  of  both  snow  and  ice,  excepting  patches 
here  and  there  in  the  shade  of  the  rocks.  The  soil,  durinff 

o 

this  period,  was  covered  with  a  more  or  less  dense  vege 
tation  of  moss,  with  which  several  Arctic  plants  were 
interspersed — some  of  them  of  considerable  beauty,  though 
entirely  without  scent — and  many  small  willows,  scarcely 
reaching  the  dignity  of  shrubs.  The  rocks  noticed  were 
of  a  schistose  or  slaty  nature,  and,  in  some  instances,  con 
tained  fossil  plants,  specimens  of  which  were  collected. 
Distinct  evidence  of  former  glaciers  were  seen  in  localities 


Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  617 

"now bare  of  ice,  these  indications  consisting  in  the  occur-     1873. 

June. 

rence  of  terminal  and  lateral  moraines. 

"Animal  life  was  found  to  abound,  musk-oxen  being 
shot  at  intervals  throughout  the  winter,  their  food  consist 
ing  of  the  moss  and  other  vegetation  obtained  during  this 
season  by  scraping  oft*  the  snow  with  their  hoofs.  Wolves, 
also  bears,  foxes,  lemmings,  and  other  mammals,  were 
repeatedly  observed.  Geese,  ducks,  and  other  water 
fowls,  including  plover  and  other  wading-birds,  abounded 
during  the  summer,  although  the  species  of  land-birds 
were  comparatively  few,  including,  however,  as  might 
have  been  expected,  large  numbers  of  ptarmigans,  or  snow- 
partridges  No  mention  is  made  by  the  rescued  party  of 
the  occurrence  of  hawks  and  owls.  No  fish  were  seen, 
although  the  net  and  line  were  frequently  called  into  play 
in  the  attempt  to  obtain  them.  The  waters,  however, 
wrere  found  filled,  to  an  extraordinary  degree,  with  marine 
invertebrate,,  including  jelly-fish  and  shrimps.  It  was  be 
lieved  by  the  party  that  the  seals  depend  upon  the  latter 
for  their  principal  subsistence,  the  seals  themselves  being 
very  abundant.  Numerous  insects  were  observed,  espe 
cially  several  species  of  butterflies,  specimens  of  which 
were  collected ;  also,  flies  and  bees,  and  insects  of  like 
character. 

"  The  geographical  results  of  the  expedition,  so  far  as 
they  can  now  be  ascertained  from  the  testimony  of  Messrs. 


618  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.     "Tyson,  Meyer,  and  their  comrades,  may  be  summed  up 
briefly  as  follows : 

"  The  open  polar  sea  laid  down  by  Kane  arid  Hayes 
is  found  to  be  in  reality  a  sound  of  considerable  extent, 
formed  by  the  somewhat  abrupt  expansion  of  Kennedy's 
Channel  to  the  northward,  and  broken  by  Lady  Franklin's 
Bay  on  the  west,  and  on  the  east  by  a  large  inlet,  or  fiord, 
twenty -two  miles  wide  at  the  opening,  and  certainly  ex 
tending  far  inland  to  the  southeast.  Its  length  was  not 
ascertained,  and  Mr.  Meyer  thinks  that  it  may  be,  in  fact, 
a  strait  extending  till  it  communicates  with  the  Francis 
Joseph  Sound  of  the  Germania  and  Hansa  expedition,  and 
with  it  defining  the  northern  limits  of  Greenland.  This 
inlet  was  called  the  Southern  Fiord.  North  of  it,  on  the 
same  side,  is  the  indentation  of  the  shore  called  Polaris 
Bay  by  Captain  Hall,  where  the  Polaris  wintered  in  lati 
tude  81°  38'  north.  The  northern  point  of  this  bay  was 
named  Cape  Lupton.  Its  southern  point  is  yet  without  ' 
a  name. 

"From  Cape  Lupton,  the  land  trends  to  the  northeast, 
and  forms  the  eastern  shore  of  a  new  channel  from  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  miles  wide,  opening  out  of  the  sound  above 
mentioned,  to  which  Captain  Hall,  as  has  already  been 
stated,  gave  the  name  of  Eobeson  Strait.  The  western 
shore  of  these  straits,  north  of  Grinnell  Land,  is  also 
nameless.  Northeast  of  Cape  Lupton,  in  latitude  81°  57', 


Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry.  619 

"  is  a  deep  inlet,  which  Captain  Hall  called  Newman's  Bay,  1 873. 
naming  its  northern  point  Cape  Brevoort,  and  its  southern 
bluff  Sumner  Headland.  From  Cape  Brevoort,  the  north 
east  trend  of  the  land  continues  to  Repulse  Harbor,  in  lati 
tude  82°  9'  N. — the  highest  northern  position  reached  by 
land  during  this  expedition. 

"  From  an  elevation  of  1,700  feet  at  Repulse  Harbor, 
on  the  east  coast  of  Robeson  Strait,  the  land  continues 
northeast  to  the  end  of  those  straits,  and  thence  east  and 
southeast  till  lost  in  the  distance,  its  vanishing  point  bear 
ing  south  of  east  from  the  place  of  observation. 

"  No  other  land  was  visible  to  the  northeast,  but  land 
was  seen  on  the  west  coast,  extending  northward  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach,  and  apparently  terminating  in  a  head 
land  and  near  latitude  84°  N. 

"  Mr.  Meyer  also  states  that  directly  to  the  north  he 
observed,  on  a  bright  day,  from  the  elevation  mentioned, 
a  line  of  light  apparently  circular  in  form,  which  was 
thought  by  other  observers  to  be  land,  but  which  he  sup 
posed  to  indicate  open  water. 

"  Besides  ascertaining  accurately  the  condition  and 
extent  of  what  was  before  supposed  to  be  an  open  polar 
sea ;  discovering  the  southern  fiord  to  the  southeast,  and 
Robeson  Strait  to  the  north,  with  another  wide  expanse 
of  water  beyond  it ;  extending,  by  examination  and  sur 
vey,  the  coast-line  on  the  east  up  to  latitude  82°  9'  N., 


620  Report  of  the  Board  of  Inquiry. 

1873.     "and  by  observation  somewhat  farther;  prolonging  the 

June. 

west  coast  to  the  northward :  reaching  with  the  Polaris, 
under  steam,  the  high  latitude  of  82°  16'  N. — -a  point  far  be 
yond  the  limits  of  all  previous  navigation  toward  the  pole  ; 
errors  in  the  shore-line  of  the  west  coast  as  laid  down  by 
Dr.  Hayes,  and  also  errors  in  the  shore-line  of  Greenland 
as  laid  down  by  Dr.  Kane,  were  observed  and  corrected. 

"Of  course,  the  full  scientific  results  of  the  Polaris 
expedition  cannot  be  known  until  that  vessel  shall  have 
been  found  and  brought  back  with  the  treasures  she  has 

o 

gathered,  and  the  records  and  details  of  her  Arctic  Explo 
rations.  But  enough  is  told  by  the  witnesses  whom  we 
have  examined  to  excite  expectation  and  encourage  the 
hope  of  large  and  valuable  additions  to  the  domain  of 
human  knowledge. 

«GEO.  M.  ROBESON, 

" Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
"  SPENCER  F.  BAIRD, 
" 'Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 

"WM.  REYNOLDS, 
"Commodore,  United  States  Navy. 

"H.  W.  HOWGATE, 
" Acting  Signal- Officer,  United  States  Army" 

On  the  llth  of  October,  1873,  Captain  S.  0.  Buding- 
ton;  the  First  Mate,  Chester;  Second  Mate,  Morton;  Dr. 


Examination  of  the  Budington  Party.  621 

Bcsscls;    First   Engineer,  Schumann;    Second  Engineer,     1873. 

June. 

Odell;  Carpenter,  Coffin ;  Fireman,  Campbell;  and  Seamen, 
Siemens,  Hobby,  and  Hayes  underwent  an  examination 
similar  to  the  previous  one  of  June  5th,  1873:  and,  finally, 
on  the  24th  of  December,  Mr.  E.  W.  D.  Bryan,  astrono 
mer  of  the  expedition ;  J.  B.  Mauch,  captain's  clerk ; 
and  J.  W.  Booth,  machinist  of  the  Polaris,  were  examined 
in  like  manner. 

The  information  acquired  on  these  subsequent  exami 
nations  did  not,  in  any  manner,  qualify  or  change  the 
report  of  the  Secretary,  of  June  16th.* 

*A11  of  these  examinations  will  be  found  in  full  in  the  Eeport  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  for  the  year  1873. 


XXV. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 


THE   AWARD   OF   THE   GOLD   MEDAL.* 

In  closing  this  narrative  of  an  expedition  due  entirely 
to  the  genius  and  perseverance  of  Hall,  it  is  very  grateful 
to  he  able  to  show  that  his  character  and  services,  and  the 
results  of  his  expedition,  have  received  distinguished  rec 
ognition  ahroad. 

At  the  general  session,  April  21,  1875,  of  the  Geo 
graphical  Society  of  Paris — the  oldest  of  geographical  soci 
eties — the  following  report  was  presented  by  M.  V.  A. 
Malte  Brun. 

*An  electrotype  of  this  medal,  with  electrotypes  of  those  awarded 
by  the  Geographical  Society  of  Paris  to  Kane  and  Hayes,  struck  at  the 
mint  of  France,  formed  a  part  of  the  Arctic  collection  placed  by  the 
Naval  Observatory  in  the  Government  Building  at  the  International 
Exhibition  of  187G. 

40 


626  The  Eoquette  Medal. 

"Report  on  the  competition  for  the  annual  prize,  made  to 
the  Geographical  Society  of  Paris,  in  the  name  of  a 
commission  consisting  of  MM.  Delesse,  V.  de  St.-Mar- 
tin,  E.  Cortambert,  C.  Maunoir,  G.  Duveyrier;  and 
V.  A.  Malte  Brun,  vice-president  of  the  central  com 
mission,  reporting. 
*  *  *  #  *  *•  # 

"We  had  this  year  to  award  the  biennial  prize  de 
voted  to  arctic  explorations,  which  M.  Alexandrc  dc  la 
Eoquette  instituted  in  honor  of  his  lamented  father,  one  of 
our  founders,  who,  for  forty-six  years,  was  so  devoted  to 
its  interests. 

-'The  Prize  Commission  has  before  it  several  enter 
prises,  which  have  had  for  their  object  either  Smith's 
Sound,  Eastern  Greenland,  Spitzbergen,  or  Nova  Zembla. 
All  of  these  deserve  the  tribute  of  our  praise ;  but,  espe 
cially  that  of  the  Polaris,  the  ship  in  which  the  American, 
Francis  Hall,  passed  beyond  Smith's  Sound  and  Kennedy 
Channel,  as  far  as  82°  16' — that  is  to  say,  the  nearest  to 
the  pole  that  any  vessel  has  reached  under  sail — has  par 
ticularly  commanded  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  Commis 
sion. 

"  Besides,  Captain  Hall  was  a  veteran  in  arctic  expe 
ditions.  In  the  year  1850,  while  carrying  on  the  business 
of  an  engraver  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  he  was  seized  with  the 
desire  to  take  part  in  the  expeditions  sent  out  in  search  of 


The  Roqmtte  Medal  627 

"  Franklin,  which  were  then  so  popular.  Laying  aside  his 
graving-tools,  he  devoted  all  his  leisure  hours  to  the  study 
of  the  polar  regions  of  America.  At  first,  he  designed  to 
take  part  in  the  memorable  expedition  of  McClintock,  in  a 
vessel  equipped  by  himself ;  but  he  was  too  late  for  this. 
On  the  return  of  the  English  navigator,  he  still  thought 
that  the  whole  story  of  the  fate  of  the  seamen  of  Frank 
lin's  expedition  had  not  been  told;  and,  to  solve  the  mys 
tery,  he  resolved  to  organize  a  new  expedition,  and 
succeeded  in  interesting  in  his  enterprise  several  distin 
guished  gentlemen,  among  whom  was  Mr.  Henry  Grinnell, 
the  well-known  philanthropist ;  he  left  New  London,  in 
1860,  in  the  whale-ship  George  Henry. 

''The  loss  of  his  own  boat  prevented  him  from  com 
pleting  the  proposed  journey  westward ;  but  he  found  very 
interesting  traces  of  Frobisher's  expedition,  which,  three 
centuries  before,  visited  that  region  by  order  of  Queen 
Elizabeth;  and  he  satisfied  himself,  among  other  geo 
graphical  determinations,  that  what  on  our  charts  had  been 
marked  as  Frobisher's  Straits  is  a  long,  open  bay,  without 
any  communication  with  the  inland  sea,  or  bay  of  Hudson. 

"On  his  return  to  the  United  States,  in  1862,  he 
published  the  results  of  his  researches,  in  a  work  which 
met  with  great  success — his  'Life  with  the  Esquimaux'; 
but,  being  seized  with  a  kind  of  homesickness  for  a  country 
which  otherwise  could  have  no  attractions  for  one  accus- 


628  The  Eoquette  Medal 

"tomed  to  the  comforts  of  city  life,  in  1864,  he  returned  to 
the  polar  regions  with  his  faithful  companions,  the  two 
Esquimaux  Joe  and  Hannah.  For  five  successive  years, 
he  explored  the  northern  shores  of  Hudson's  Bay,  living 
among  the  Esquimaux,  and  sharing  their  raw  meat  and  seal- 
oil.  He  made  himself  thoroughly  acquainted  with  their 
language,  customs,  and  traditions,  and  was  thus  admirably 
prepared,  on  his  return  to  his  country  in  1869?  for  his  great 
expedition  to  the  pole — the  final  object  of  all  his  efforts. 

"He  busied  himself  very  promptly  in  organizing  it, 
and,  although  friends  would  have  turned  him  aside  from 
this  perilous  enterprise,  he  appealed  to  Congress  to  obtain 
the  assistance  of  the  American  Government,  and,  while 
awaiting  its  action,  sustained  himself  and  his  Esquimaux 
friends  by  lectures  upon  his  preceding  voyages. 

"The  action  of  Congress  was  delayed  by  political 
causes ;  he  met  with  more  than  one  disappointment  in 
the  course  of  his  appeals.  He  tells  us  that,  at  this  time, 
he  took  new  courage  in  the  careful  study  of  the  life  of 
%  Columbus,  the  example  of  the  illustrious  navigator  more 
than  once  strengthening  his  persevering  resolution. 

"Finally,  he  obtained  the  use  of  a  vessel  which  had 
been  laid  up  since  the  war  of  the  secession,  a  tug  of  400 
tons,  which  he  managed  to  have  fitted  up  suitably  for  the 
rough  navigation  in  the  ice ;  he  christened  her  by  the  sig 
nificant  name,  Polaris. 


The  Roquette  Medal  629 

"I  will  not  go  over  with  you  the  fearful  trials  of  the 
perilous  voyage,  or  speak  of  the  extreme  point  which 
the  Polaris  reached;  of  the  death  of  Hall;  of  his  second 
in  command;  of  the  drifting  away  of  one  part  of  the  crew 
on  the  floe,  while  the  other  part  wrere  forced  to  abandon 
the  ship,  and  only  reached  their  country  at  the  cost  of  a 
thousand  dangers.  Our  secretary-general  has  given  an 
account  of  these  sad  details  to  you  in  the  annual  reports, 
which  we  all  so  justly  appreciate. 

"I  will  hut  run  over  the  scientific  results  of  the  expedi 
tion,  which  are  considerable.  More  than  700  miles  of  coast 
line  have  been  discovered  and  reconnoitered  It  is  now 
proved  that  Kennedy  Channel  extends  beyond  Cape  Con 
stitution — the  highest  point  reached  by  Kane  in  1854.  On 
the  right,  another  strait,  Eobeson  Channel,  opens,  having  a 
very  perceptible  current  from  east  to  w^est.  From  the  sum 
mit  of  an  elevation  near  where  the  party  wintered,  the  land 
was  seen  extending  north  to  the  84th  degree.  The  tem 
perature  was  sensibly  less  severe  than  it  was  at  a  point 
several  degrees  further  south;  and  animal  life  showed  itself 
by  the  presence  of  numerous  herds  of  the  musk-ox,  with 
many  hares  and  other  animals. 

"Dr.  Bessels,  the  chief  of  the  scientific  corps  to 
which  the  largest  part  of  these  acquisitions  is  to  be  cred 
ited,  at  the  beginning  of  his  winter  residence,  1871-72, 
established,  in  the  bay  named  from  the  ship,  an  observa- 


630  The  Roquette  Medal 

"  tory  on  an  elevation  12  metres  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  He  then  made  a  number  of  astronomical  obser 
vations  to  determine  its  position,  besides  magnetic,  me 
teorological,  geological,  botanical,  and  zoological  inves 
tigations.  He  also  observed  with  the  pendulum  for 
gravity. 

"  The  flora  and  fauna  of  Hall  Land — the  name  given 
to  the  prolongation  of  Grinnell  Land  and  Washington 
Land  toward  the  north — are  quite  rich.  Eight  species  of 
mammals,  twenty-three  of  birds,  fifteen  of  insects,  and 
seventeen  of  plants  were  found.  The  enumeration  of 
these  will  be  found  in  the  letter  addressed  by  Dr. 
Bessels  to  our  secretary-general,  dated  July  19,  1874, 
and  published  in  the  society's  bulletin  of  March,  1875. 

"  In  consideration  of  these  results,  your  Prize  Com 
mission  has  judged  it  their  duty  to  award  to  Francis  Hall, 
the  promoter  and  chief  of  the  Polaris  expedition,  that  which 
is  otherwise  due  him  for  his  previous  labors,  the  Gold 
Medal  of  the  Roquette  Foundation. 

11  But  Francis  Hall,  like  his  fellow-countryman,  Kane 
seventeen  years  before  him,  has  fallen  a  victim  to  his  suf 
ferings,  and  it  is  on  a  tomb  that  we  must  once  more  deposit 
a  crown.  If  we  are  denied  the  gratification  of  giving  to 
Francis  Hall  the  medal  which  we  have  awarded  him,  we 
will  have  at  least  the  consolation  of  transmitting  it  to  his 
family.  It  will  bear  witness  across  the  seas  that  death 


The  Roqncttc  Medal. 

" itself  cannot  prevent  the  just  tribute  of  your  gratitude  for 
services  rendered  to  geographical  science. 

"  The  Prize  Commission  awards  this  year  the  Gold 
Medal  of  the  Roquette  Foundation  to  the  Arctic  Explorer, 
Francis  Hall,  a  medal  which  will  he  sent  to  the  family  of 
the  unfortunate  explorer." 


631 


APPENDIX 


I. 


INSTRUCTIONS 


NATIONAL    ACADEMY 


S  C  T  E  1ST  C  "E  8 . 


I. 

INSTRUCTIONS  OF  THE  NATIONAL  ACADEMY. 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June  9,  1871. 

SIR  :  In  accordance  with  the  law  of  Congress  authorizing  the  Expedi-     Letter  from 
tion  for  explorations  within  the  Arctic  circle,  the  scientific  operations 
are  to  be  prescribed  by  the  National  Academy ;  and  in  behalf  of  this 
society  I  respectfully  submit  the  following  remarks  and  suggestions : 

The  appropriation  for  this  Expedition  was  granted  by  Congress  prin 
cipally  on  account  of  the  representations  of  Captain  Hall  and  his  friends 
as  to  the  possibility  of  improving  our  knowledge  of  the  geography  of 
the  regions  beyond  the  eightieth  degree  of  north  latitude,  and  more 
especially  of  reaching  the  Pole.  Probably  on  this  account  and  that  of 
the  experience  which  Captain  Hall  had  acquired  by  seven  years'  resi 
dence  in  the  Arctic  regions,  he  was  appointed  by  the  President  as  com 
mander  of  the  Expedition. 

In  order  that  Captain  Hall  might  have  full  opportunity  to  arrange 
his  plans,  and  that  no  impediments  should  be  put  in  the  way  of  their 
execution,  it  was  proper  that  he  should  have  the  organization  of  the 
Expedition  and  the  selection  of  his  assistants.  These  privileges  having 
been  granted  him,  Captain  Hall  early  appointed  as  the  sailing-master 
of  the  expedition  his  friend  and  former  fellow-voyager  in  the  Arctic 
zone,  Captain  Budington,  who  has  spent  twenty  five  years  amid  Polar 
ice;  and  for  the  subordinate  positions,  persons  selected  especially  for 
their  experience  of  life  in  the  same  regions. 

It  is  evident  from  the  foregoing  statement  that  the  Expedition,  except 
in  its  relations  to  geographical  discovery,  is  not  of  a  scientific  charac 
ter,  and  to  connect  wiih  it  a  full  corps  of  scientific  observers,  whose 
duty  it  should  be  to  make  minute  investigations  relative  to  the  physics 
of  the  globe,  and  to  afford  them  such  facilities  with  regard  to  time  and 
position  as  would  be  necessary  to  the  full  success  of  the  object  of  their 
organization,  would  materially  interfere  with  the  views  entertained  by 
Captain  Hall,  and  the  purpose  for  which  the  appropriation  was  evi 
dently  intended  by  Congress. 

Although  the  special  objects  and  peculiar  organization  of  this  Expedi. 
tion  are  not  primarily  of  a  scientific  character,  yet  many  phenomena 
may  be  observed  and  specimens  of  natural  history  be  incidentally  col- 


638  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Letter  from  lected,  particularly  during  the  long  winter  periods  in  which  the  vessel 
must  necessarily  remain  stationary ;  and  therefore,  in  order  that  the 
opportunity  of  obtaining  such  results  might  not  be  lost,  a  committee  of 
the  National  Academy  of  Sciences  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  series  of 
instructions  on  the  different  branches  of  physics  and  natural  history, 
and  to  render  assistance  in  procuring  the  scientific  outfit. 

Great  difficulty  was  met  with  in  obtaining  men  of  the  proper  scien 
tific  acquirements  to  embark  in  an  enterprise  which  must  necessarily  be 
attended  with  much  privation,  and  in  which,  in  a  measure,  science  must 
be  subordinate.  This  difficulty  was,  however,  happily  obviated  by  the 
offer  of  an  accomplished  physicist  and  naturalist,  Dr.  E.  Bessels,  of 
Heidelberg,  to  take  charge  of  the  scientific  operations,  with  such  assist 
ance  as  could  be  afforded  him  by  two  or  three  intelligent  young  men 
that  might  be  trained  for  the  service.  Dr.  Bessels  was  the  scientific 
director  of  the  German  expedition  to  Spitzbergen  and  Rova  Zeinbla,  in 
1869,  during  which  he  made,  for  the  first  time,  a  most  interesting  series 
of  observations  on  the  depths  and  currents  of  the  adjacent  seas.  From 
his  character,  acquirements,  and  enthusiasm  in  the  cause  of  science,  he 
is  admirably  well  qualified  for  the  arduous  and  laborious  office  for  which 
he  is  a  volunteer.  The  most  important  of  the  assistants  was  one  to  be 
intrusted,  under  Dr.  Bessels,  with  the  astronomical  ar.d  magnetic  ob 
servations,  and  such  a  one  has  been  found  ia  the  person  of  Mr.  Bryan, 
a  graduate  at  Lafayette  College,  at  Easton,  Pennsylvania,  who,  under 
the  direction  of  Professor  Hilgard,  has  received  from  Mr.  Schott  and 
Mr.  Keith,  of  the  Coast  Survey,  practical  instructions  in  the  use  of  the 
instruments. 

The  Academy  would  therefore  earnestly  recommend,  as  an  essential 
condition  of  the  success  of  the  objects  in  which  it  is  interested,  that 
Dr.  Bessels  be  appointed  as  sole  director  of  the  scientific  operations 
of  the  Expedition,  and  that  Captain  Hall  be  instructed  to  afford  him 
such  facilities  a-ud  assistance  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  special  objects 
under  his  charge,  and  which  are  not  incompatible  with  the  prominent 
idea  of  the  original  enterprise. 

As  to  the  route  to  be  pursued  with  the  greatest  probability  of  reach 
ing  the  Pole,  either  to  the  east  or  west  of  Greenland,  the  Academy  for 
bears  to  make  any  suggestions,  Captain  Hall  having  definitely  concluded 
that  the  route  through  Baffin's  Bay,  the  one  wilh  which  he  is  most  famil 
iar,  is  that  to  be  adopted.  One  point,  however,  should  be  specially 
urged  upon  Captain  Hall,  namely,  the  determination  with  the  utmost 
scientific  precision  possible  of  all -his  geographical  positions,  and  espe 
cially  of  the  ultimate  northern  limit  which  he  attains.  The  evidence  of 
the  genuineness  of  every  determination  of  this  kind  should  be  made 
apparent  beyond  all  question. 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  639 

On  Hie  return  of  the  Expedition,  the  collections  which  may  be  made     Letter    from 
in  natural  history,  &c.,  will,  in  accordance  with  a  law  of  Congress,  be  nry*    „ 

deposited  in  the  National  Museum,  under  the  care  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  ;  and  we  would  suggest  that  the  scientific  records  be  dis 
cussed  and  prepared  for  publication  by  Dr.  Bessels,  with  such  assistance 
as  he  may  require,  under  the  direction  of  the  National  Academy.  The 
importance  of  refusing  to  allow  journals  to  be  kept  exclusively  for  pri 
vate  use,  or  collections  to  be  made  other  than  those  belonging  to  the  ex 
pedition,  is  too  obvious  to  need  special  suggestion. 

lu  fitting  out  the  Expedition,  the  Smithsonian  Institution  has  afforded 
all  the  facilities  in  its  power  in  procuring  the  necessary  apparatus,  and 
in  furnishing  the  outfit  for  making  collections  in  the  various  departments 
of  natural  history.  The  Coast  Survey,  under  the  direction  of  Professor 
Peirce,  has  contributed  astronomical  and  magnetical  instruments.  The 
Hydrographic  Office,  under  Captain  Wymau,  has  furnished  a  transit 
instrument,  sextants,  chronometers,  charts,  books,  &c.  The  Signal 
Corps,  under  General  Myer,  has  supplied  anemometers,  thermometers, 
aneroid  and  mercurial  barometers,  besides  detailing  a  sergeant  to  assist 
in  the  meteorological  observations.  The  members  of  the  committee  of 
the  Academy,  especially  Professors  Baird  and  Hilgard,  have,  in  discuss 
ing  with  Dr.  Bessels  the  several  points  of  scientific  investigation,  and 
in  assisting  to  train  his  observers,  rendered  important  service. 

The  liberal  manner  in  which  the  Navy  Department,  under  your  direc 
tion,  has  provided  a  vessel  and  especially  fitted  it  out  for  the  purpose 
with  a  bountiful  supply  of  provisions,  fuel,  and  all  other  requisites  for 
the  success  of  the  Expedition,  as  well  as  the  health  and  comfort  of  its 
members,  will,  we  doubt  not,  meet  the  approbation  of  Congress,  and  be 
highly  appreciated  by  all  persons  interested  in  Arctic  explorations. 

From  the  foregoing  statement  it  must  be  evident  that  the  provisions 
for  exploration  and  scientific  research  in  this  case  are  as  ample  as  those 
which  have  ever  been  made  for  any  other  Arctic  expedition,  and  should 
the  results  not  be  commensurate  with  the  anticipations  in  regard  to 
them,  the  fact  cannot  be  attributed  to  a  want  of  interest  in  the  enter 
prise  or  to  inadequacy  of  the  means  which  have  been  afforded. 

We  have,  however,  full  confidence,  not  only  in  the  ability  of  Captain 
Hall  and  his  naval  associates,  to  make  important  additions  to  the  knowl 
edge  of  the  geography  of  the  Polar  region,  but  also  in  his  interest  in 
science  and  his  determination  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  assist  and  facili 
tate  the  scientific  operations. 

Appended  to  this  letter  is  the  series  of  instructions  prepared  by  the 
Committee  of  the  Academy,  viz:  The  instructions  on  astronomy,  by 
Professor  Newcomb ;  on  magnetism,  tides,  &c.,  by  Professor  J.  E.  Hil 
gard  ;  on  meteorology,  by  Professor  Henry ;  on  natural  history,  by  Pro- 


640  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  fessor  S.  F.  Baird ;  on  geology,  by  Professor  Meek ;  and  on  glaciers,  by 

Prof.  Hilgard.         ^,     /, 

Professor  Agassi z. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOSEPH  HENKY, 

President  of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Hon.  GEO.  M.  ROBESON, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


Instructions. 

GENERAL  DIRECTIONS  IN  REGARD  TO   THE  MODE  OF  KEEPING 

RECORDS. 

Record  of  observations. — It  is  of  the  first  importance  that  in  all  instru 
mental  observations  the  fullest  record  be  made,  and  that  the  original 
notes  be  preserved  carefully. 

In  all  cases  the  actual  instrumental  readings  must  be  recorded,  and 
if  any  corrections  are  to  be  applied,  the  reason  for  these  corrections 
must  also  be  recorded.  For  instance,  it  is  not  sufficient  to  state  the 
index  error  of  a  sextant ;  the  manner  of  ascertaining  it  and  the  read 
ings  taken  for  the  purpose  must  be  recorded. 

The  log-book  should  contain  a  continuous  narrative  of  all  that  is  done 
by  the  Expedition,  and  of  all  incidents  which  occur  on  shipboard,  and  a 
similar  journal  should  be  kept  by  each  sledge-party.  The  actual  obser 
vations  for  determining  time,  latitude,  the  sun's  bearing,  and  all  notes 
having  reference  to  mapping  the  shore,  soundings,  temperature,  &c., 
should  be  entered  in  the  log-book  or  journal  in  the  regular  order  of 
occurrence.  When  scientific  observations  are  more  fully  recorded  in 
the  note-books  of  the  scientific  observer  than  can  be  conveniently  tran 
scribed  into  the  log-book,  the  fact  of  the  observation  and  reference  to 
the  note-book  should  be  entered. 

The  evidence  of  the  genuineness  of  the  observations  brought  back 
should  be  of  the  most  irrefragable  character.  No  erasures  whatever 
with  rubber  or  knife  should  be  made.  When  an  entry  requires  correc 
tion,  the  figures  or  words  should  be  merely  crossed  by  a  line  and  the 
correct  figures  written  above. — [J.  E.  H.j 

ASTRONOMY. 

Astronomical  observations. — One  of  the  chronometers,  the  least  valua 
ble  if  there  is  any  difference,  should  be  selected  as  the  standard  by 
which  all  observations  are  to  be  made,  as  far  as  practicable.  The  other 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  641 

chronometers  should  all  be  compared  with  this  every  day  at  the  time  of     Instructions  by 
winding,  and  the  comparisons  entered  in  the  astronomical  note-book. 

When  practicable,  the  altitude  or  zenith  distance  of  the -sun  should 
be  taken  four  times'  a  day — morning  and  evening  for  time  ;  noon  and 
midnight  for  latitude.  The  chronometer  or  watch  times  of  the  latitude 
observations,  as  well  as  of  the  time  observations,  should  always  be 
recorded.  Each  observation  should  always  be  repeated  at  least  three 
times  in  all,  to  detect  any  mistake. 

When  the  moon  is  visible,  three  measures  of  her  altitude  should  be 
taken  about  the  time  of  her  passage  over  each  cardinal  point  of  true 
bearing,  and  the  chronometer  time  of  each  altitude  should  be  recorded. 

As  the  Greenwich  time  deduced  from  the  chronometers  will  be  quite 
unreliable  after  the  first  six  months,  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  recourse 
to  lunar  distances.  These  should  be  measured  from  the  sun,  in  prefer 
ence  to  a  star,  whenever  it  is  practicable  to  do  so. 

If  a  sextant  is  used  in  observation,  a  measure  of  the  semi-diameter  of 
the  sun  or  moon  should  be  taken  every  day  or  two  for  index  error. 

The  observations  are  by  no  means  to  be  pretermitted  when  lying  in 
port,  because  they  will  help  to  correct  the  position  of  the  port. 

The  observations  should,  if  convenient,  be  taken  so  near  the  standard 
chronometer  that  the  observer  can  signal  the  moment  of  observation  to 
an  assistant  at  the  chronometer,  who  is  tO'note  the  time.  If  this  is  not 
found  convenient,  and  a  comparing-watch  is  used,  the  watch-time  and 
the  comparison  of  the  watch  with  the  chronometer  should  both  be  care 
fully  recorded. 

The  observations  made  by  the  main  party  should  be  all  written  down 
in  full  in  a  continuous  series  of  note- books,  from  which  they  may  be 
copied  in  the  log.  Particular  care  should  be  exercised  in  always  record 
ing  the  place,  date,  and  limb  of  sun  or  moon  observed,  and  any  other 
particulars  necessary  to  the  complete  understanding  of  the  observa 
tion.—  [S..N.J 

Observations  at  u 'inter -quarters. — The  astronomical  transit  instrument 
will  be  set  up  in  a  suitable  observatory.  A  meridian  mark  should  be 
established  as  soon  as  practicable,  and  the  instrument  kept  with  con 
stant  care  in  the  vertical  plane  passing  through  the  mark,  in  order  that 
all  observations  may  be  brought  to  bear  on  determining  the  deviation 
of  that  plane  from  the  meridian  of  the  place.  The  transits  of  circum- 
polar  stars,  on  both  sides  of  the  pole,  and  those  of  stars  near  the  equator, 
should  be  frequently  observed. 

Moon  culminations,  including  the  transits  of  both  first  and  second 
limbs,  should  be  observed  for  the  determination  of  longitude  independ 
ently  of  the  rates  of  the  chronometers.  Twelve  transits  of  each  limb  is 
a  desirable  number  to  obtain — more,  if  practicable.  If  any  occultations 
of  bright  stars  by  the  moon  are  visible,  they  should  be  likewise  observed. 
41 


642  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  The  observations  for  latitude  will  be  made  with  the  sextant  and  arti 
ficial  horizon,  upon  stars  both  north  and  south  of  the  zenith. 

All  the  chronometers  of  the  Expedition  should  be  compared  daily,  as 
nearly  as  practicable  about  the  same  time. 

Whenever  a  party  leaves  the  permanent  station  for  an  exploration, 
and  immediately  upon  its  return,  its  chronometer  should  be  compared 
with  the  standard  chronometer  of  the  station. 

Observations  during  sledge  or  boat  journeys. — The  instruments  to  be 
taken  are  the  small  Casella  theodolite,  or  a  pocket  sextant  and  artificial 
horizon,  one  or  more  chronometers,  and  a  prismatic  compass,  for  taking 
magnetic  bearings  of  the  sun.  In  very  high  latitudes  the  time  of  the 
sun's  meridian  altitude  is  not  readily  determined  ;  it  will  be  advisable, 
therefore,  to  take  altitudes  when  the  sun  is  near  the  meridian,  as  indi 
cated  by  the  compass,  with  regard  to  the  variations  of  the  compass,  as 
derived  from  an  isogonic  chart.  The  time  when  the  observation  is 
taken  will,  of  course,  be  noted  by  the  chronometer.  Altitudes  should 
be  taken  in  this  way,  both  to  the  south  and  north  of  the  zenith ;  they 
will  enable  the  traveler  to  obtain  his  latitude  at  once  very  nearly,  with 
out  the  more  laborious  computation  of  the  time. 

The  observations  for  time  should  be  taken  as  nearly  as  may  be  when 
the  sun  is  at  right  angles  to  the  meridian,  to  the  east  and  west,  the  com 
pass  being  again  used  to  ascertain  the  proper  direction.  This  method 
of  proceeding  will  call  for  observations  of  altitude  at  or  near  the  four 
cardinal  points,  or  nearly  six  hours  apart  in  time. 

When  the  party  changes  its  place  in  the  interval  between  their 
observations,  it  is  necessary  to  have  some  estimate  of  the  distance  and 
direction  traveled.  The  ultimate  mapping  of  the  route  will  mainly 
depend  upon  the  astronomical  observations,  but  no  pains  should  be 
spared  to  make  a  record  every  hour  of  the  estimated  distance  traveled — 
by  log,  if  afloat — of  the  direction  of  the  route,  by  compass,  and  of  bear 
ings  of  distant  objects,  such  as  peaks,  or  marked  headlands,  by  which 
tbe  route  may  be  plotted. 

In  case  of  a  few  days'  halt  being  made  when  a  very  high  latitude  has 
been  reached,  or  at  any  time  during  the  summer's  explorations,  a  special 
object  of  care  should  be  to  ascertain  the  actual  rate  of  the  chronometers 
with  the  party.  To  this  end,  a  well-defined,  fixed  object,  in  any  direc 
tion,  should  be  selected  as  a  mark,  the  theodolite  pointed  on  it,  and  the 
transit  of  the  sun  over  its  vertical  observed  on  every  day  during  the 
sojourn  at  the  place.  If  the  party  be  only  provided  with  a  sextant,  then 
the  same  angular  distances  of  the  sun  from  a  fixed  object  should  be 
observed  on  successive  days,  the  angles  being  chosen  so  as  to  be  be 
tween  30°  and  45°.  For  instance,  set  the  sextant  successively  to  40°, 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  643 

to  40°  20',  40°  40',  &c.,  and  note  the  time  when  the  sun's  limb  comes  in     Instructions  by 

contact  with  the  object.    The  same  distances  will  be  found  after  twenty-  Prof>  Hll8anl- 

four  hours,  with  a  correction  for  change  in  the  sun's  declination.    The 

sun's  altitude  should  be  observed  before  and  after  these  observations, 

and  its  magnetic  bearing  should  be  noted,  as  well  as  that  of  the  mark. 

The  altitude  of  the  mark  should  also  be  observed,  if  practicable,  either 

with  the  sextant  or  clinometer,  but  this  is  not  essential. — [J.  E.  H.] 

MAGNETISM. 

On  the  voyage  and  sledge-journey,  at  all  times  when  traveling,  the 
declination  or  variation  of  the  compass  should  be  obtained  by  observing 
the  magnetic  bearing  of  the  sun,  at  least  once  every  day  on  which  the 
sun  is  visible.  On  shipboard  or  in  boats  the  azimuth  compass  is  to  be 
used  ;  on  land  the  small  theodolite  will  be  found  preferable. 

When  afloat,  no  valuable  observations  of  the  magnetic  dip  and  inten 
sity  are  practicable.  On  the  sledge-journey  the  dip-circle  may  be  car 
ried,  and  when  halts  are  made  longer  than  necessary  to  determine  the 
place  by  astronomical  observations,  the  dip  and  relative  intensity,  accord 
ing  to  Lloyd's  method,  should  be  ascertained. 

At  winter-quarters,  in  addition  to  the  above-mentioned  observations, 
those  of  absolute  horizontal  intensity  should  be  made  with  the  theodolite 
magnetometer,  including  the  determination  of  moment  of  inertia.  Also 
with  the  same  instrument  the  absolute  declination  should  be  deter 
mined. 

The  least  that  the  observer  should  be  satisfied  with  is  the  complete 
determination  of  the  three  magnetic  elements,  namely,  declination,  dip, 
and  horizontal  intensity.  At  one  period,  say  within  one  week,  three 
determinations  of  each  should  be  made. 

It  is  advisable  that  the  same  observations  be  repeated  on  three  suc 
cessive  days  of  each  month  during  the  stay  at  one  place ;  and  that  on 
three  days  of  each  month,  as  the  1st,  llth,  and  21st,  or  any  other  days, 
the  variation  of  the  declination-magnet  be  read  every  half  hour  during 
the  twenty-four  hours ;  also  that  the  magnetometer,  or  at  least  a  theo 
dolite  with  compass,  remain  .mounted  at  all  times,  that  the  variation  of 
the  needlo  may  be  observed  as  often  as  practicable,  and  especially  when 
unusual  displays  of  aurora  borealis  take  place. 

In  all  cases  the  time,  which  forms  an  essential  part  of  the  record, 
should  be  carefully  noted. 

Not  long  before  starting  on  a  sledge-journey  from  a  winter  station, 
and  soon  after  returning,  the  observations  with  the  loaded  dipping- 
needles  for  relative  intensity  should  be  repeated,  in  order  to  have  a 
trustworthy  comparison  for  the  observations  which  have  been  made  on 
the  journey. 


644  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  FORCE   OF   GRAVITY. 

Prof.  Hilgard. 

As  the  long  winter  affords  ample  leisure,  pendulum  experiments  may 
be  made  to  determine  the  force  of  gravity,  in  comparison  with  that  at 
Washington,  where  observations  have  been  made  with  the  Hayes  pendu 
lum,  lent  to  the  expedition.  The  record  of  the  Washington  observations, 
a  copy  of  which  is  furnished,  will  serve  as  a  guide  in  making  the  obser 
vations.  Special  care  should  be  taken  while  they  are  in  progress,  to 
determine  the  rate  of  the  chronometer  with  great  precision,  by  obser 
vations  of  numerous  stars  with  the  astronomical  transit  instrument,  the 
pointing  of  which  on  a  fixed  mark  should  be  frequently  verified. 

OCEAN  PHYSICS. 

Depths. — Soundings  should  be  taken  frequently  when  in  moderate 
depths,  at  least  sufficiently  often  to  give  some  indication  of  the  general 
depth  of  the  strait  or  sound  in  which  the  vessel  is  afloat  at  the  time, 
If  an  open  sea  be  reached,  it  should  be  considered  of  the  greatest  im 
portance  to  get  some  measure  of  its  depth,  and  since  no  bulky  sounding- 
apparatus  can  be  carried  across  the  ice-barrier,  the  boat-party  should 
be  provided  with  1,000  fathoms  of  small  twine,  marked  in  lengths  ol  10 
fathoms.  Stones,  taken  on  board  when  the  boat  is  launched,  may  serve 
as  weights. 

Bottom  should  be  brought  up  whenever  practicable,  and  specimens 
preserved.  Circumstances  of  time  and  opportunity  must  determine 
whether  a  dredge  can  be  used,  or  merely  a  specimen-cup. 

Temperature  of  the  sea  should  be  observed  with  the  "Miller  protected 
bulb  thermometer"  made  by  Casella,  near  the  surface,  about  two  fath 
oms  below  the  surface,  and  near  the  bottom.  When  time  permits, 
observations  at  an  intermediate  depth  should  be  taken.  These  observa 
tions  have  a  particular  bearing  on  the  general  circulation  of  the  ocean, 
and  are  of  great  importance. 

Tides. — Observations  of  high  and  low  water,  as  to  time  and  height, 
should  be  made  continuously  at  winter-quarters.  The  method  adopted 
by  Dr.  Hayes  is  recommended.  It  consists  of  a  graduated  staff,  an 
chored  to  the  bottom,  directly  under  the  "  ice  hole,"  by  a  mushroom- 
anchor,  or  heavy  stone  and  a  chain,  which  is  kept  stretched  by  a  coun 
terweight  attached  to  a  rope  that  passes  over  a  pulley  rigged  overhead. 
The  readings  are  taken  by  the  height  of  the  water  in  the  "  ice-hole." 
In  the  course  of  a  few  days'  careful  observations,  the  periods  of  high 
and  low  water  will  become  sufficiently  well  known  to  predict  the  turns 
approximating  from  day  to  day,  and  subsequently  observations  taken 
every  five  minutes  for  half  an  hour,  about  the  anticipated  turn,  will 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  645 

suffice,  provided  they  be  continued  until  the  turn  of  tide  has  become     Instructions  by 
well  marked.  Prof-  Hil»rar(L 

Tidal  observations  taken  at  other  points,  when  a  halt  is  made  for 
some  time,  even  if  continued  not  longer  than  a  week,  will  be  of  special 
value,  as  affording  an  indication  as  to  the  direction  in  which  the  tide 
wave  is  progressing,  and  inferentially  as  to  the  proximity  of  an  open 
sea.  If,  as  the  Expedition  proceeds,  the  tide  is  foun  I  to  be  later,  the 
indication  is  that  the  open  sea  is  far  distant,  if  indeed  the  channel  be 
not  closed.  Bub  if  the  tide  occurs  earlier,  as  the  ship  advances,  the 
probability  is  strongly  in  favor  of  the  near  approach  to  an  open,  deep 
sea,  communicating  directly  with  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

In  making  such  a  comparison,  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  semi 
monthly  inequality  in  the  time  of  high  water,  which  may  be  approxi 
mately  taken  from  the  observations  at  winter-quarters.  Observations 
made  at  the  same  age  of  the  moon,  in  different  places,  may  be  directly 
compared. 

When  the  water  is  open,  the  tide  may  be  observed  by  means  of  a 
graduated  pole  stuck  into  the  bottom  ;  or,  if  that  cannot  be  conveniently 
done,  by  means  of  a  marked  line  anchored  to  the  bottom  and  floated 
by  a  light  buoy,  the  observation  being  taken  by  hauling  up  the  line  taut, 
over  the  anchor. 

Currents, — It  is  extremely  desirable  to  obtain  some  idea  of  the  cur 
rents  in  the  open  Polar  sea  if  such  is  found.  No  special  observations 
can  be  indicated,  however,  except  those  of  the  drift  of  icebergs,  if  any 
should  be  seen. 

Density. — The  density  of  the  sea-water  should  be  frequently  observed 
with  delicate  hydrometers,  giving  direct  indications  to  the  fourth  deci 
mal.  Whenever  practicable,  water  should  be  brought  up  from  differ 
ent  depths,  and  its  density  tested.  The  specimens  should  be  preserved 
in  carefully-sealed  bottles,  with  a  view  to  the  subsequent  determination 
of  their  mineral  contents. — [J.  E.  H.] 

METEOROLOGY. 

The  Expedition  is  well  supplied  with  meteorological  instruments,  all 
the  standards,  with  the  exception  of  the  mercurial  barometers,  manufact 
ured  by  Casella,  and  compared  with  the  standards  of  the  Kew% Ob 
servatory  under  the  direction  of  Professor  Balfbur  Stewart.  Dr.  Bessels 
is  so  familiar  with  the  use  of  instruments,  and  so  well  acquainted  with 
the  principles  of  meteorology,  that  minute  instructions  are  unnecessary. 
We  shall  therefore  merely  call  attention,  by  way  of  remembrance,  to  the 
several  points  worthy  of  special  notice. 

Temperature. — The  registers  of  the  temperature,  as  well  as  of  the  ba 
rometer,  direction  of  the  wind,  and  moisture  of  the  atmosphere,  should, 


646  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  in  all  cases  in  which  it  is  possible,  be  made  hourly,  and.  when  that  cannot 
!Dry>  be  done,  they  should  be  made  at  intervals  of  two,  three,  four,  or  six 
hours.  The  temperature  of  the  water  of  the  ocean,  as  well^as  of  the 
air,  should  be  taken  during  the  sailing  of  the  vessel. 

The  minimum  temperature  of  the  ice,  while  in  winter-quarters,  should 
be  noted  from  time  to  time,  perhaps  at  different  depths ;  also  that  of  the 
water  beneath. 

The  temperature  of  the  black-bulb  thermometer  in  vacuo  exposed  to 
the  sun,  and  also  that  of  the  black-bulb  free  to  the  air,  should  be  fre 
quently  observed  while  the  sun  is  on  the  meridian,  and  at  given  altitudes 
in  the  forenoon  and  afternoon,  and  these  observations  compared  with 
those  of  the  ordinary  thermometer  in  the  shade. 

Experiments  should  also  be  made  with  a  thermometer  in  the  focus  of 
the  silvered  mirror,  the  face  of  which  is  directed  to  the  sky.  For  this 
purpose  the  ordinary  black-bulb  thermometer  may  be  used  as  well  as 
the  naked-bulb  thermometer.  The  thermometer  thus  placed  will  gen 
erally  indicate  a  lower  temperature  than  one  freely  exposed  to  radiation 
from  the  ground  and  terrestrial  objects,  and  in  case  of  isolated  clouds 
will  probably  serve  to  indicate  those  which  are  colder  and  perhaps 
higher. 

Comparison  may  also  be  made  between  the  temperature  at  different 
distances  above  the  earth  by  suspending  thermometers  on  a  spar  at 
different  heights. 

The  temperature  of  deep  soundings  should  be  taken  with  the  ther 
mometer  with  a  guard,  to  obviate  the  pressure  of  the  water.  As  the 
tendency,  on  account  of  the  revolution  of  the  earth,  is  constantly  to 
deflect  all  currents  to  the  right  hand  of  the  observer  looking  down  stream, 
the  variations  in  temperature  in  connection  with  this  fact  may  serve  to 
assist  in  indicating  the  existence,  source,  and  direction  of  currents. 

The  depth  of  frost  should  be  ascertained,  and  also,  if  possible,  the 
point  of  invariable  temperature.  For  this  purpose,  augers  and  drills 
with  long  stems  for  boring  deeply  should  be  provided. 

Pressure  of  air. — A  series  of  comparative  observations  should  be  made 
of  the  indications  of  the  mercurial  and  aneroid  barometers.  The  latter 
will  be  affected  by  the  variation  of  gravity  as  well  as  of  temperature, 
while  the  former  will  require  a  correction  due  only  to  heat  and  capil 
larity. 

As  it  is  known  that  the  normal  height  of  the  barometer  varies  in  dif 
ferent  latitudes,  accurate  observations  in  the  Arctic  regions,  with  this 
instrument,  are  very  desirable,  especially  in  connection  with  observa 
tions  on  the  moisture  of  the  atmosphere,  since  to  the  small  quantity  of 
this  in  northern  latitudes  the  low  barometer  which  is  observed  there 
has  been  attributed.  I  think,  however,  it  will  be  found  that  the  true 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  647 

cause  is  in  the  rotation  of  the  earth  on  its  axis,  which,  if  sufficiently     instructions  by 
rapid,  would  project  all  the  air  from  the  Pole. 

In  the  latitude  of  about  60,  there  is  a  belt  around  the  earth  in  which 
the  barometer  stands  unusually  high,  and  in  which  violent  fluctuations 
occur.  This  will  probably  be  exhibited  in  the  projection  of  the  curve 
representing  the  normal  height  of  the  barometrical  column  in  different 
latitudes. 

Moisture. — The  two  instruments  for  determining  the  moisture  in  the 
air  are  the  wet  and  dry  bulb  thermometer  and  the  dew-point  instrument, 
as  improved  by  Reguault.  But  to  determine  the  exact  quantity  in  the 
atmosphere  in  the  Arctic  regions  will  require  the  use  of  an  aspirator,  by 
which  a  given  quantity  of  air  can  be  passed  through  an  absorbing  sub 
stance,  such  as  chloride  of  calcium,  and  the  increase  of  weight  accurately 
ascertained.  It  may,  however,  be  readily  shown  that  the  amount  is 
very  small  in  still  air. 

A  wind  from  a  more  southern  latitude  will  increase  the  moisture,  and 
may  give  rise  to  fogs.  Sometimes,  from  openings  in  the  ice,  vapor  may 
be  exhaled  from  water  of  a  higher  temperature  than  the  air,  and  be  im 
mediately  precipitated  into  fog. 

The  inconvenience  which  is  felt  from  the  moisture  which  exhales  with 
the  breath  in  the  hold  of  the  vessel  may,  perhaps,  be  obviated  by  adopt 
ing  the  ingenious  expedient  of  one  of  the  Arctic  voyagers,  viz,  by  mak 
ing  a  number  of  holes  through  the  deck  and  inverting  over  them  a  large 
metallic  vessel  like  a  pot.  The  exterior  of  this  vessel,  being  exposed  to 
the  low  temperature  of  the  air  without,  would  condense  the  moisture 
from  within  on  its  interior  surface,  and  thus  serve,  on  the  principle  of 
the  diffusion  of  vapor,  to  desiccate  the  air  below. 

The  variation  of  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  performs  a  very  impor 
tant  part  in  all  meteorological  changes.  Its  effects,  however,  are  prob 
ably  less  marked  in  the  Arctic  regions  than  in  more  southern  latitudes. 
The  first  effect  of  the  introduction  into  the  atmosphere  of  moisture  is  to  . 
expand  the  air  and  to  diminish  its  weight ;  but  after  an  equilibrium  has 
taken  place,  it  exists,  as  it  were,  as  an  independent  atmosphere,  and 
thus  increases  the  pressure.  These  opposite  effects  render  the  phenom 
ena  exceedingly  complex. 

Winds. — As  to  these,  the  following  observations  are  to  be  regularly 
and  carefully  registered,  namely :  The  average  velocity  as  indicated  by 
Eobiuson's  anemometer;  the  hour  at  which  any  remarkable  change 
takes  place  in  their  direction ;  the  course  of  their  veering;  the  existence 
at  the  same  time  of  currents  in  different  directions,  as  indicated  by  the 
clouds;  the  time  of  beginning  and  ending  of  hot  or  cold  winds,  and  the 
direction  from  which  they  coirfe.  Observations  on  the  force  and  direc 
tion  of  the  wind  are  very  important,  The  form  of  the  wind-vane  should 


648  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instruct  ions  by  be  that  of  which  the  feather  part  consists  of  two  planes,  forming  be 
tween  them  an  angle  of  about  10°.  The  sensibility  of  this  instrument, 
provided  its  weight  be  not  too  imuh  increased,  is  in  proportion  to  the 
surface  of  the  feather  planes.  Great  care  must  be  taken  to  enter  the 
direction  of  the  wind  from  the  true  meridian,  whenever  this  can  be  ob 
tained,  and  in  all  cases  to  indicate  whether  the  entries  refer  to  the  true 
or  magnetic  north.  Much  uncertainty  has  arisen  on  account  of  the  neg 
lect  of  this  precaution. 

In  accordance  with  the  results  obtained  by  Professor  Coffin,  in  his 
work  on  the  resultant  direction  of  the  wind,  there  are,  in  the  northern 
hemisphere,  three  systems  roughly  corresponding  with  the  different 
zones,  viz,  the  Tropical,  in  which  the  resultant  motion  is  toward  the 
west,  the  Temperate,  toward  the  east,  and  (he  Arctic,  in  which  it  is  again 
toward  the  west. 

In  the  discussion  of  all  the  observations,  the  variation  of  the  tempera 
ture  and  the  moisture  will  appear,  in  their  connection  with  the  direction 
of  the  wind.  Hence  the  importance  of  simultaneous  observations  on 
these  elements,  and  also  on  the  atmospheric  pressure. 

Precipitation. — The  Expedition  will  be  furnished  with  a  number  of  rain- 
gauges,  the  contents  of  which  should  be  measured  after  each  shower. 
By  inverting  and  pressing  them  downward  into  the  snow,  and  subse 
quently  ascertaining,  by  melting  in  the  same  vessel,  the  amount  of  water 
produced,  they  will  serve  to  give  the  precipitation  of  water  in  the  form 
of  snow.  The  depth  of  snow  can  be  measured  by  an  ordinary  measur 
ing-rod.  Much  difficulty,  however,  is  sometimes  experienced  in  obtain 
ing  the  depth  of  snow,  on  account  of  its  drifting,  and  it  is  sometimes 
not  easy  to  distinguish  whether  snow  is  actually  falling  or  merely  being 
driven  by  the  wind. 

The  character  of  the  snow  should  be  noted,  whether  it  is  in  small 
rounded  masses,  or  in  regular  crystals  ;  also  the  conditions  under  which 
these  different  forms  are  produced. 

The  form  and  weight  of  hailstones  should  be  noted,  whether  consist 
ing  of  alternate  strata,  the  number  of  which  is  important,  of  flocculent 
snow,  or  solid  ice,  or  agglutinations  of  angular  crystals,  whether  of  a 
spherical  form,  or  that  of  an  oblate  spheroid. 

The  color  of  the  snow  should  be  observed  in  order  to  detect  any  or 
ganisms  which  it  may  contain,  and  also  any  sediment  which  may  remain 
after  evaporation,  whether  of  earthy  or  vegetable  matter. 

Clouds. — The  character  of  the  clouds  should  be  described,  and  the 
direction  of  motion  of  the  lower  and  the  higher  ones  registered,  at  the 
times  prescribed  for  the  other  observations.  Since  the  Expedition  is 
well  supplied  with  photographic  apparatus,  frequent  views  of  the  clouds 
and  of  the  general  aspect  of  the  sky  should  be  taken. 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  (349 

Aurora. — Every  phase  of  the  aurora  borcalis  will  of  course  be  re-  Instructions  by 
corded  ;  also  the  exact  time  of  first  appearance  of  the  meteor,  when  it 
assumes  the  form  of  an  arch  or  a  corona,  and  when  any  important 
change  in  its  general  aspect  takes  place.  The  magnetic  bearing  of  the 
crown  of  the  arch,  and  its  altitude  at  a  given  time,  should  be  taken ; 
also,  if  it  moves  to  the  south  of  the  observer,  the  time  when  it  passes 
the  zenith  should  be  noted.  The  time  and  position  of  a  corona  are  very 
important.  Two  distinct  arches  have  sometimes  been  seen  co-existing — 
one  in  the  east  and  the  other  in  the  west.  In  such  an  exhibition,  the 
position  of  the  crown  of  each  arch  should  be  determined.  Drawings  of 
the  aurora,  with  colored  crayons,  are  very  desirable.  Ju  lower  latitudes 
a  dark  segment  is  usually  observed  beneath  the  arch,  the  occurrence  of 
which,  and  the  degree  of  darkness,  should  be  registered.  It  also  some 
times  happens  that  a  sudden  precipitation  of  moisture  in  the  form  of 
a  haziness  is  observed  to  cover  the  face  of  the  sky  during  the  shooting 
of  the  beams  of  the  aurora.  Any  appearance  of  this  kind  is  worthy  of 
attention. 

Wave-motions  are  sometimes  observed,  and  it  would  be  interesting  to 
note  whether  these  are  from  east  to  west  or  in  the  contrary  direction, 
and  whether  they  have  any  relation  to  the  direction  of  the  wind  at  the 
time.  The  colors  of  the  beams  and  the  order  of  their  changes  may  be 
important  in  forming  a  theory  of  the  cause  of  the  phenomena.  Any 
similarity  of  appearance  to  the  phenomena  exhibited  in  Geissler's  tubes 
should  be  noted,  especially  whether  there  is  anything  like  stratifica 
tion. 

The  aurora  should  be  frequently  examined  by  the  spectroscope,  and 
the  bright  lines  which  may  be  seen,  carefully  compared  with  one  of  Kir- 
choff's  maps  of  the  solar  spectrum. 

To  settle  the  question  as  to  the  fluorescence  of  the  aurora  and  its  con 
sequent  connection  with  the  electric  discharge,  a  cone  of  light  reflected 
from  the  silver-plated  mirror  should  be  thrown  on  apiece  of  white  paper, 
on  which  characters  have  been  traced  with  a  brush  dipped  in  sulphate 
of  quinine.  By  thus  condensing  the  light  on  the  paper,  any  fluorescence 
which  the  ray  .may  contain  will  be  indicated  by  the  appearance  of  the 
previously  invisible  characters  in  a  green  color. 

Careful  observations  should  be  made  to  ascertain  whether  the  aurora 
ever  appears  over  an  expanse  of  thick  ice,  or  only  over  land  or  open 
water,  ice  being  a  non-conductor  of  electricity. 

The  question  whether  the  aurora  is  ever  accompanied  with  a  noise 
has  often  been  agitated,  but  not  yet  apparently  definitely  settled.  Atten 
tion  should  be  given  to  this  point,  and  perhaps  the  result  may  be  ren 
dered  more  definite  by  the  use  of  two  ear-trumpets,  one  applied  to  each 
ear. 


650  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by      According  to  Hunsteen,  the  aurora  consists  of  luminous  beams,  par- 

Prof  Hcurv 

allel  to  the  dipping  needle,  which  at  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the 
corona  are  shooting  up  on  all  sides  of  the  observer,  and  also  the  lower 
portions  of  these  beams  are  generally  invisible.  It  is,  therefore,  inter 
esting  to  observe  whether  the  auroral  beams  are  ever  interposed  between 
the  observer  and  a  distant  mountain  or  cloud,  especially  when  looking 
either  to  the  east  or  west. 

The  effect  of  the  aurora  on  the  magnetism  of  the  earth  will  be  ob 
served  by  abnormal  motion  of  the  magnetic  instruments  for  observing 
the  declination,  inclination,  and  intensity.  This  effect,  however,  may 
be  more  strikingly  exhibited  by  means  of  a  galvanometer,  inserted 
near  one  end  of  a  long  insulated  wire  extended  in  a  straight  line,  the 
two  extremities  of  which  are  connected  with  plates  of  metal  plunged  in 
the  water,  it  may  be  through  holes  in  the  ice,  or  immediately  connected 
with  the  ground. 

To  ascertain  whether  the  effect  on  the  needle  is  due  to  an  electrical 
current  in  the  earth,  or  to  an  inductive  action  from  without,  perhaps  the 
following  variation  of  the  preceding  arrangement  would  serve  to  give 
some  indication.  Instead  of  terminating  the  wire  in  a  plate  of  metal, 
plunged  in  the  water,  let  each  end  be  terminated  in  a  large  metallic 
insulated  surface,  such,  for  example,  as  a  large  wooden  disk,  rounded  at 
the  edges  and  covered  with  tin-foil.  If  the  action  be  purely  inductive, 
the  needle  of  the  galvanometer  inserted,  say,  near  one  end  of  the  wire, 
would  probably  indicate  a  momentary  current  in  one  direction,  and 
another  in  the  opposite,  at  the  moment  of  the  cessation  of  the  action. 
For  the  purpose  of  carrying  but  this  investigation,  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  has  Jhrnished  the  Expedition  with  two  reels  of  covered  wire, 
each  a  mile  in  length,  one  of  which  is  to  be  stretched  in  the  direction, 
perhaps,  of  the  magnetic  meridian,  and  the  other  at  right  angles  to  it. 
It  would  be  well,  however,  to  observe  the  effect  with  the  wires  in  vari 
ous  directions,  or  united  in  one  continuous  length. 

Electricity. — From  the  small  amount  of  moisture  in  the  atmosphere, 
and  the  consequent  insulating  capacity  of  the  latter,  all  disturbances 
of  the  electrical  equilibrium  will  be  seen  in  the  frequent  production  of 
light  and  sparks  on  the  friction  and  agitation  of  all  partially  non-con 
ducting  substances.  Any  unusual  occurrences  of  this  kind,  such  as 
electrical  discharges  from  pointed  rods,  from  the  end  of  spars,  or  from 
the  fingers  of  the  observer,  should  be  recorded. 

A  regular  series  of  observations  should  be  made  on  the  character  and 
intensity  of  the  electricity  of  the  atmosphere  by  means  of  an  electrome 
ter,  furnished  with  a  polished,  insulated,  metallic  ball,  several  inches  in 
diameter,  and  two  piles  of  Deluc  to  indicate  the  character  of  the  elec 
tricity,  whether  -f  or  — ;  and  also  supplied  with  a  scale  to  measure,  by 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  651 

tlie  divergency  of  a  needle,  the  degree  of  intensity.    This  instrument     Instructions  by 

can  be  used  either  to  indicate  the  electricity  of  the  air  by  induction  or 

by  conduction.     In  the  first  case  it  is  only  necessary  to  elevate  it  above 

a  normal  plane  by  means  of  a  flight  of  steps,  say  eight  or  ten  feet,  to 

touch  the  ball  at  this  elevation  and  again  to  restore  it  to  its  first  position, 

when  it  will  be  found  charged  with  electricity  of  the  same  character  as 

that  of  the  air.    Or  the  ball  may  be  brought  in  contact  with  the  lower 

end  of  an  insulated  metallic  wire,  to  the  upper  end  of  which  is  attached 

a  lighted  piece  of  twisted  paper  which  had  been  dried  after  previous 

saturation  in  a  solution  of  nitrate  of  lead. 

Thunder-storms  are  rare  in  the  Arctic  regions,  although  they  some 
times  occur;  and  in  this  case  it  is  important  to  observe  the  point  in  the 
horizon  in  which  the  storm-cloud  arises;  also  the  direction  of  the  wind 
during  the  passage  of  the  storm  over  the  place  of  the  observer;  and 
also  the  character  of  the  lightning — whether  zig-zag,  ramified,  or  direct; 
also  its  direction — whether  from  cloud  to  cloud,  or  from  a  cloud  to  the 
earth. 

Optical  phenomena. — Mirage  should  always  be  noted,  as  it  serves  to 
indicate  the  position  of  strata  of  greater  or  less  density,  which  may  be 
produced  by  open  water,  as  in  the  case  of  lateral  mirage,  or  by  a  current 
of  wind  or  warmer  air  along  the  surface. 

The  polarization  of  the  light  of  the  sky  can  be  observed  by  means  of 
a  polariscope,  consisting  of  a  plate  of  tourmaline  with  a  slice  of  Iceland 
spar,  or  a  crystal  of  nitre  cut  at  right  angles  to  its  optical  axis,  on  the 
side  farthest  from  the  eye.  With  this  simple  instrument  the  fact  of 
polarization  is  readily  detected,  as  well  as  the  plane  in  which  it  is  ex 
hibited. 

Halos,  parhelia,  corona3,  luminous  arches,  and  glories  should  all  be 
noted,  both  as  to  time  of  appearance  and  any  peculiarity  of  condition  of 
the  atmosphere.  Some  of  these  phenomena  have  been  seen  on  the  surface 
of  the  ice  by  the  reflection  of  the  sun's  beams,  from  a  surface  on  which 
crystals  had  been  formed  by  the  freezing  of  a  fog  simultaneously  with 
a  similar  appearance  in  the  sky,  the  former  being  a  continuation,  as  it 
were,  and  not  a  reflection  of  the  latter. 

In  the  latitude  of  Washington,  immediately  after  the  sun  has  sunk 
below  the  western  horizon,  there  frequently  appear  faint  parallel  bands 
of  colors  just  above  the  eastern  horizon,  which  may  very  possibly  be 
due  to  the  dispersion  of  the  light  by  the  convex  form  of  the  atmosphere, 
and  also,  at  some  times,  slightly-colored  beams  crossing  the  heavens 
like  meridians,  and  converging  to  a  point  in  the  eastern  horizon.  Any 
appearance  of  this  kind  should  be  carefully  noted  and  described. 

Meteors. — Shooting  stars  and  meteors  of  all  kinds  should  be  observed 
with  the  spectroscope.  The  direction  and  length  of  their  motion  should 


(352  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  be  traced  on  star-maps,  and  special  attention  given  at  the  stated  periods 
iu  August  and  November.  A  remarkable  disturbance  of  the  aurora 
has  been  seen  during  the  passage  of  a  meteor  through  its  beams.  Any 
phenomenon  of  this  kind  should  be  minutely  described. 

Ozone. — The  Expedition  is  furnished  with  a  quantity  of  ozone  test- 
paper,  observations  with  which  can  only  be  rendered  comparable  by 
projecting  against  the  sensitized  paper  a  given  quantity  of  atmospheric 
air.  For  this  purpose  an  aspirator  should  be  used,  which  may  be  made 
by  fastening  together  two  small  casks,  one  of  which  is  filled  with  water, 
with  their  axes  parallel,  by  means  of  a  piece  of  plank  nailed  across  the 
heads,  through  the  middle  of  which  is  passed  an  iron  axis,  on  which 
the  two  casks  may  be  made  to  revolve,  and  the  full  cask  may  readily 
be  placed  above  the  empty,  so  that  its  contents  may  gradually  descend 
into  the  latter.  During  the  running  of  the  water  from  the  upper  cask, 
an  equal  quantity  of  air  is  drawn  through  a  small  adjutage  into  a  closed 
vessel  and  made  to  impinge  upon  the  test-paper.  The  vessel  containing 
the  test-paper  should  be  united  with  the  aspirator  by  means  of  an  India- 
rubber  tube. 

Miscellaneous. — The  conduction  of  sound  during  still  weather,  through 
the  air  over  the  ice,  through  the  ice  itself,  and  through  the  water,  may 
be  studied. 

Evaporation  of  snow,  ice,  and  water  may  be  measured  by  a  balance, 
of  which  the  pan  is  of  a  given  dimension. 

Experiments  on  the  resistance  of  water  to  freezing  in  a  confined 
space  at  a  low  temperature  may  be  made  with  small  bomb-shells  closed 
with  screw-plugs  of  iron.  The  fact  of  the  liquidity  of  the  water  at  a 
very  low  temperature  may  be  determined  by  the  percussion  of  a  small 
iron  bullet,  or  by  simply  inverting  the  shell,  when  the  ball,  if  the  liquid 
remains  unfrozen,  will  be  found  at  the  lowest  point.  It  might  be  better, 
however,  to  employ  vessels  of  wrought  iron  especially  prepared  for  the 
purpose,  since  the  porosity  of  cast  iron  is  such  that  the  water  will  be 
forced  through  the  pores,  c.  #.,  the  lower  end  of  a  gun-barrel,  which, 
from  the  smallness  of  its  diameter,  will  sustain  an  immense  pressure, 
and  through  which  the  percussion  of  the  inclosed  bullet  may  be  more 
readily  heard.  Water,  in  a  thin  metallic  vessel,  exposed  on  all  sides  to 
the  cold,  sometimes  gives  rise  to  hollow  crystals  of  a  remarkable  shape 
and  size,  projecting  above  the  level  surface  of  the  water,  and  exhibits 
phenomena  worthy  of  study. 

Experiments  may  be  made  on  regelation,  the  plasticity  of  ice,  the 
consolidation  of  snow  into  ice,  the  expansion  of  ice,  its  conducting 
power  for  heat,  and  the  various  forms  of  its  crystallization.  The  effect 
of  intense  cold  should  be  studied  on  potassium,  sodium,  and  other  sub 
stances,  especially  in  relation  to  their  oxidation. 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  653 

The  melting-point  of  mercury  should  be  observed,  particularly  as  a     Instructions  by 

Prof.  Buird. 

means  of  correcting  the  graduation  of  thermometers  at  low  tempera 
tures.  The  resistance  to  freezing  of  minute  drops  of  mercury,  as  has 
been  stated,  should  be  tested.  Facts  long  observed,  when  studied  un 
der  new  conditions,  scarcely  ever  fail  to  yield  new  and  interesting 
results.— [J.  H.] 

NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Objects  of  natural  history  of  all  kinds  should  be  collected,  and  in  as 
large  numbers  as  possible.  For  this  purpose  all  on  board  the  vessel, 
both  officers  and  sailors,  should  be  required  to  collect,  upon  every  favor 
able  opportunity,  and  to  deliver  the  specimens  obtained  to  those  ap 
pointed  to  have  charge  of  them. 

Zoology. — The  terrestrial  mammals  of  Greenland  are  pretty  well  known, 
but  it  is  still  desirable  that  a  series,  as  complete  as  possible,  of  the  skins 
should  be  preserved,  great  care  being  taken  to  always  indicate,  upon  the 
label  to  be  attached,  the  sex  and  probable  age,  as  well  as  the  locality, 
and  date  of  capture.  The  skeleton,  and,  when  it  is  not  possible  to  get 
this  complete,  any  detached  bones,  particularly  the  skull  and  attached 
cervical  vertebrae,  are  very  desirable.  Interesting  soft  parts,  especially 
the  brain,  and  also  embryos,  are  very  important.  If  it  should  be  consid 
ered  necessary  to  record  measurements,  they  should  be  taken  from 
specimens  recently  killed. 

Of  walruses  and  seals,  there  should  be  collected  as  many  skeletons  as 
possible,  of  old  and  young  individuals;  also  skins,  especially  of  the 
seals.  Notes  should  be  made  regarding  the  habits  in  general,  food, 
period  of  copulation,  duration  of  gestation  and  time  of  migration,  it 
being  desirable  to  find  out  whether  their  migrations  are  periodical. 

Of  the  Cetacca,  when  these  are  too  large  to  be  taken  on  board  the 
vessel,  the  skull  and  cervical  vertebra,  the  bones  of  the  extremities  and 
penis,  and  whatever  else  may  be  deemed  worthy  of  preservation,  should 
be  secured.  All  the  animals  should  be  examined  for  ecto-  and  ento-par- 
asires,  and  the  means  by  which  they  become  affixed  to  the  animals  noted. 

Collect  carefully  the  species  of  My  odes  (lemmings),  Arctomys,  and  Ar- 
mcola,  so  as  to  determine  the  variations  with  locality  and  season.  The 
relationship  of  two  kinds  of  foxes,  the  blue  and  white,  should  be  studied 
to  determine  their  specific  <5r  other  relationship.  Any  brown  bears 
should  be  carefully  collected,  both  skin  and  skeleton,  to  determine 
whether  identical  or  not  with  the  Old  World  Ursus  arctus. 

Kef  erence  has  already  been  made  to  the  seals  and  cetaceans ;  of  these 
the  Phoca  cristata,  the  white  whale  (Beluga),  and  the  Monodon  are  par 
ticularly  desired. 

What  has  been  said  in  regard  to  the  mammals  will  apply  equally  well 
to  the  birds,  skins  and  skeletons  being  equally  desirable.  It  is  especially 


654  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  important  that  the  fresh  colors  of  tbe  bill,  cere,  gums,  eyes,  and  feet,  or 
caruncles,  or  bare  skin,  if  there  be  any,  should  be  noted,  as  the  colors 
of  these  parts  all  change  after  the  preparation  of  a  specimen. 

Of  birds,  the  smaller  land  species  are  of  the  greatest  interest,  and 
complete  series  of  them  should  be  gathered.  The  northern  range  of  the 
insectivorous  species  should  be  especially  inquired  into.  The  Arctic  fal 
cons  should  be  collected  in  all  their  varieties,  to  ascertain  whether  there 
are  two  forms,  a  brown  and  a  white,  distinct  through  life,  or  whether 
one  changes  with  age  into  the  other. 

Inquiry  should  be  directed  to  the  occurrence  of  Bernicla  leucopsis,  An- 
ser  cinereus,  or  other  large  gray  geese,  and  the  Camptolcemus  Labra- 
dora,  and  a  large  number  of  specimens,  of  the  latter  especially,  should  be 
obtained.  Indeed  the  geese  and  ducks  generally  should  form  subjects  of 
special  examination.  Among  the  Laridce  the  most  important  species  is 
the  Larus  rossii  or  Rhodostethia  rosea,  scarcely  known  in  collections.  A 
large  number  of  skins  and  eggs  will  be  a  valuable  acquisition.  Larus 
•eburneus  is  also  worthy  of  being  collected.  The  Alcidae  should  be  care 
fully  examined  for  any  new  forms,  and  inquiries  directed  in  regard  to 
the  Alca  impennis. 

Of  all  birds'  eggs  an  ample  store  should  be  gathered ;  and  the  skele 
tons  of  the  Arctic  Raptores  and  the  Natatores  generally. 

It  will  be  a  matter  of  much  importance  to  ascertain  what  is  the  ex 
treme  northern  range  of  the  continental  species  of  birds,  and  whether, 
in  the  highest  latitudes,  the  European  forms  known  to  occur  in  Green- 
laud  cross  Baffin's  Bay. 

Eggs  and  nests  of  birds,  in  as  large  numbers  as  possible,  should  be 
procured,  great  care  being  taken,  however,  in  all  cases  to  identify  them 
by  the  parents  which  may  be  shot,  and  some  portion,  if  not  all  of  them, 
preserved,  if  not  recognized  by  the  collector.  All  the  eggs  of  One  set 
should  be  marked  with  the  same  number,  that  they  may  not  be  sepa 
rated  ;  the  .parent  bird,  if  collected,  likewise  receiving  the  same  number. 
It  should  also  be  stated,  if  known,  how  long  the  eggs  have  been  set  upon, 
as  incubation  influences  very  much  their  color ;  the  situation  of  the  nest 
also  is  very  important.  Notes  on  the  manner  of  nesting,  localities 
selected,  and  other  peculiarities  of  breeding,  should  be  carefully  kept; 
whether  they  are  polygamous,  whether  there  are  struggles  between  the 
males,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  old  birds  feed  their  young ;  and 
whether  these  remain  helpless  in  the  nest  for  a  given  time,  or  whether 
they  accompany  the  parents  from  birth.  A  journal  of  the  arrival  and 
departure  of  the  migratory  species  should  also  be  kept,  to  find  out 
whether  those  which  leave  latest  return  earliest,  and  vice. versa. 

Of  fishes  that  are  obtained,  the  best  specimens  should  be  photographed, 


Instructions  of  the' National  Academy.  655 

the  fresh  colors  noted,  and  then  they  should  be  preserved  in  alcohol  or     Instructions  by 
carbolic  acid. 

Among  the  fishes  the  Salmonidcc,  Cottidce,  Gadidcc,  and  Clupeidce  will 
be  of  most  interest,  and  good  series  should  be  secured. 

The  terrestrial  inferior  animals  should  be  all  collected,  each  class  in 
its  appropriate  way. 

Try  to  get  larvae  of  insects,  and  observe  their  life,  whether  they  are 
well  adapted  to  their  surroundings  ;  for  in  proportion  to  the  insects  are 
the  number  of  insectivorous  animals,  and  for  that  reason  the  struggle 
for  life  would  be  more  energetic,  and,  therefore,  only  those  insects  which 
are  best  adapted  to  the  conditions  will  survive. 

Inferior  marine  animals  are  usually  collected  by  two  methods,  viz,  with 
a  pelagic  net  and  by  a  dredge.  Both  these  methods  should  be  employed 
whenever  practicable.  Especial  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  larvae, 
of  which  sketches  should  be  made.  The  results  of  the  dredging  should 
be  noted  in  blanks  printed  for  this  purpose,  the  specimens  to  be  pre 
served  as  their  constitution  requires.  Muller's  liquor,  glycerine,  solution 
of  alcohol  and  sugar,  &c. 

It  would  be  of  peculiar  interest  to  study  the  several  deep  regions, 
admitted  by  Forbes  and  others.,  to  ascertain  if  in  the  Arctic  regions  the 
intensity  of  color  increases  with  the  depth,  as  has  been  stated  to  be  the 
case  with  red  and  violet,  which,  if  true,  would  be  just  the  contrary  to 
what  is  observed  in  the  temperate  and  tropical  regions. 

Of  shells  two  sets  should  be  preserved,  one  dry  and  the  other  with  the 
animal,  in  alcohol ;  the  dry  shell  is  necessary  from  the  fact  that  the  al 
cohol,  by  the  acetic  acid  produced,  is  apt  to  destroy  the  color. 

It  is  particularly  important  to  get  as  full  a  series  as  possible  of  the 
members  of  the  smaller  families,  with  a  view  to  the  preparation  of 
monographs. 

There  should  be  paid  as  much  attention  as  possible  to  the  fauna  of 
fresh-water  lakes  to  ascertain  whether  they  contain  marine  forms,  as  has 
been  found  to  be  the  case  with  some  of  those  in  North  America,  Scan 
dinavia,  Italy,  and  other  countries.  From  this,  important  conclusions 
regarding  the  rising  of  the  coast  may  be  arrived  at. 

Botany. — Plants  are  to  be  collected  in  two  ways.  Of  each  species 
some  specimens  should  be  put  in  alcohol  to  serve  for  studying  the  anat 
omy;  the  others  to  be  dried  between  sheets  of  blotting-paper.  The 
locality  of  each  specimen  should  be  noted,  also  its  situation,  the  char 
acter  of  the  soil  and  height  above  the  sea,  the  season,  and  whether 
there  is  hellotroplsmus,  &c.,  &c.  In  the  general  notes  there  should  be 
remarks  on  the  horizontal  and  vertical  distribution. — [S.  F.  B.] 

GEOLOGY. 

The  most  important  point  in  the  collection  of  geological  specimens, 
whether  they  consist  of  rocks,  minerals,  or  fossils,  is,  that  on  breaking 


656  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  or  digging  Ihetn  from  the  matrix  or  bed,  each  individual  specimen 
should  be  carefully  wrapped  separately  in  pliable  but  strong  paper, 
with  a  label  designating  the  exact  locality  from  which  it  was  obtained. 
If  two  or  more  beds  of  rock  (sandstone,  limestone,  clay,  marl,  or  other 
material)  occur  at  the  locality  from  which  specimens  are  taken,  the 
label  should  also  have  a  number  on  it  corresponding  to  the  particular 
bed  in  which  it  was  found,  as  designated  in  a  section  made  on  the  spot 
in  a  note-book.  This  should  be  done  in  order  that  the  specimens  from 
each  bed  may  be  separated  from  those  found  in  others,  whether  the 
beds  are  separable  by  differences  of  composition  or  by  differences  in  the 
groups  of  fossils  found  in  each ;  and  it  is,  moreover,  often  important 
that  this  care  should  be  observed,  even  when  one  or  more  of  the  beds 
are  of  inconsiderable  thickness,  if  such  beds  are  characterized  by  pecu 
liar  fossils.  For  in  such  cases  it  often  happens  that  what  may  be  a 
mere  seam  at  one  place  may  represent  an  important  formation  at 
another. 

Specimens  taken  directly  from  rocks  in  place  are,  of  course,  usually 
more  instructive  than  those  found  loose;  but  it  often  happens  that 
much  better  specimens  of  fossils  can  be  found  already  weathered  out, 
and  lying  detached  about  an  outcrop  of  hard  rock,  than  can  be  broken 
from  it.  These  can  generally  be  referred  to  their  place  in  the  section 
noted  at  the  locality,  by  adhering  portions  of  the  matrix,  or  from  finding 
more  or  less  perfect  examples  of  the  same  species  in  the  beds  in  place ^ 
but  it  is  usually  the  better  plan  to  note  on  the  labels  of  such  specimens 
that  they  were  found  loose,  especially  if  there  are  any  evidences  that 
they  may  have  been  transported  from  some  other  locality  by  drift 
agencies. 

All  exposures  of  rocks,  and  especially  those  of  limestone,  should  be 
carefully  examined  for  fossils,  for  it  often  happens  that  hard  limestones 
and  other  rocks  that  show  no  traces  of  organic  remains  on  the  natural 
surfaces  (covered,  as  they  often  are,  with  lichens  and  mosses),  will  be 
found  to  contain  fossils  when  broken  into.  In  cases  where  fossils  are 
found  to  exist  in  a  hard  rock,  if  time  and  other  circumstances  permit, 
it  is  desirable  that  it  should  be  vigorously  broken  with  a  heavy  hammer 
provided  for  that  purpose,  and  as  many  specimens  of  the  fossils  as 
possible  (or  as  the  means  of  transportation  will  permit)  should  be  col 
lected. 

Fossils  from  rocks  of  all  ages  will,  of  course,  be  interesting  and  instruct 
ive,  but  it  is  particularly  desirable  that  organic  remains  found  in  the 
later  tertiary  and  quarternary  formations  of  these  high  northern  lati 
tudes,  if  any  such  exist  there,  should  be  collected.  These,  whether  of 
animals  or  plants,  would  throw  much  light  on  the  question  respecting 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  657 

the  climatic  conditions  of  the  Polar  regions  at  or  just  preceding  the     Instructions  by 

„  Prof.  Meek. 

advent  of  man. 

Specimens  illustrating  the  lithological  character  of  all  the  rocks  ob 
served  in  each  district  explored  should  also  be  collected,  as  well  as  of 
the  organic  remains  found  in  fossiliferous  beds;  also,  of  all  kinds  of 
minerals.  Those  of  rocks  and  amorphous  minerals  should  be  trimmed 
to  as  nearly  the  same  size  and  form  as  can  conveniently  be  done — say 
3  by  4  inches  wide  and  long  and  1£  inches  in  thickness.  Crystalline 
minerals  ought,  of  course,  to  be  broken  from  the  matrix,  rather  with 
the  view  of  preserving  the  crystals,  as  far  as  possible,  than  with  regard 
to  the  size  or  ibrin  of  the  hand  specimens;  and  the  same  remark  applies 
equally  to  fossils. 

On  an  overland  journey  the  circumstances  may  not  always  be  such 
as  to  allow  the  necessary  time  to  wrap  carefully  and  label  specimens  on 
the  spot  where  they  were  collected ;  but  in  such  cases  numbers,  or  some 
other  marks,  should  be  scratched  with  the  point  of  a  knife,  or  other 
hard-pointed  instrument,  on  each,  by  means  of  which  the  specimens 
collected  at  different  times  and  places  during  the  march  can  be  cor 
rectly  separated,  labeled,  and  wrapped  when  the  party  stops  for  rest. 

All  specimens  should  be  packed  tightly  in  boxes  as  soon  as  enough 
have  been  collected  to  fill  a  box,  and  a  label  should  be  attached  to  each 
box  indicating  the  particular  district  of  country  in  which  the  collections 
were  obtained.  For  this  purpose,  empty  provision-boxes  or  packages 
can  generally  be  used. 

In  examining  sections  or  exposures  of  rocks  along  a  shore  or  else 
where,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  make  a  rough  sketch  in  a  note-book,  thus: 

SECTION  1. 


Clay. 


8  feet. 


Shale. 


7  feet. 


Clay. 


12  feot. 


Sandstone. 


12  feet. 


Limestone. 


10  feot. 


Then,  on  the  same  or  following  pages,  more  particular  descriptions  of 
the  nature  and  composition  of  the  several  beds  should  be  written,  refer 
ring  to  each  by  its  number.  Sections  of  this  kind  should  be  numbered 
1,  2,  3,  and  so  on,  in  the  order  in  which  they  were  observed,  and  the 
specimens  from  each  bed  ought  also  to  be  numbered  on  its  label,  so  as 
to  correspond.  That  is,  specimens  from  the  lowest  bed  of  the  first  sec- 


658  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  tion  should  be,  for  instance,  marked  thus:  "  Section  No.  1,  bed  No.  1," 
and  so  ou.  The  name  of  the  locality,  however,  should  also,  as  already 
suggested,  be  written  on  the  labels  as  a  provision  against  the  possible 
loss  of  note-books. 

It  generally  happens  that  an  outcrop  will  show  only  a  part  of  the 
beds  of  which  it  is  composed,  thus  : 


3     Unexposed  space.  ^-s.       8  feet. 


2  |  Limestone. 


11  feet. 


1     Sandstone. 


15  feet. 


In  such  a  case  the  facts  should  be  noted  exactly  as  seen,  without  any 
attempt  to  guess  at  the  nature  of  the  material  that  may  fill  the  unex- 
posed  spaces ;  but  generally,  by  comparing  different  sections  of  this 
kiud  taken  in  the  same  region,  the  entire  structure  of  a  district  may  be 
made  out. 

The  dip  and  strike  of  strata  should  also  be  carefully  observed  and 
noted,  as  well  as  the  occurrence  of  dikes  or  other  outbursts  of  igneous 
rocks,  and  the  effects  of  the  latter  on  tbe  contiguous  strata. 

All  evidences  of  the  elevation  or  sinking  of  coasts  should  likewise  be 
carefully  observed  and  noted. 

Especial  attention  should  be  given  to  glacial  phenomena  of  every  kiud, 
such  as  the  formation,  size,  movements,  &c.,  of  existing  glaciers,  their 
abrading  and  other  effects  upon  the  subjacent  rocks,  their  formation  of 
moraines,  &c. ;  also,  the  formation,  extent,  and  movements  of  icebergs, 
and  their  power  of  transporting  masses  of  rock,  &c. 

At  Cape  Fraser,  between  latitude  80°  north  and  longitude  70°  west, 
Dr.  Hayes  found  some  upper  Silurian  fossils  in -a  hard  gray  limestone. 
This  rock  doubtless  has  a  rather  wide  extension  in  the  country  referred 
to,  as  other  explorers  have  brought  Silurian  fossils  from  several  localities 
further  southward  and  westward  in  this  distant  northern  region.  Should 
the  party  visit  the  locality  from  which  Dr.  Hayes  collected  his  specimens, 
it  is  desirable  that  as  complete  a  collection  as  possible  should  be  ob 
tained,  as  most  of  those  found  by  Dr.  Hayes  were  lost. 

For  making  geological  observations  and  collecting  geological  speci 
mens,  very  few  instruments  are  required.  For  determining  the  eleva 
tions  of  mountains  and  the  general  altitude  of  the  country,  a  barometer 
is  sufficiently  accurate.  For  local  elevations  of  less  extent,  a  pocket- 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  659 

level  (Locke's)  should  be  provided.     Tape-Hues  are  also  useful  for  ineas-     Instructions  by 

, .      ,  ,      .,  ,  ,          ,  Prof.  Agassiz. 

urmg  vertical  outcrops  and  other  purposes  ;  and  a  good  pocket-compass 

is  indispensable.     The  latter  should  have  a  clinometer  attached. 

A  good  supply  of  well-tempered  cast-steel  hammers  should  also  be 
provided.  They  should  be  of  various  sizes  and  forms,  and  ought  to  be 
made  with  large  enough  eyes  to  receive  stout  handles,  of  which  a  good 
number,  made  of  well-seasoned  hickory,  should  be  prepared.  Chisels  of 
different  sizes  should  also  be  prepared  of  well-tempered  steel. 

A  pouch  of  leather  or  stout  canvas,  with  a  strap  to  pass  over  the 
shoulder,  will  be  found  useful  to  carry  specimens  for  short  distances. — 
[F.  B.  M.J 

CrLACIEKS. 

The  progress  of  our  knowledge  of  glaciers  has  disclosed  two  sides  of 
the  subject  entirely  disconnected  with  one  another,  and  requiring  dif 
ferent  means  of  investigation.  The  study  of  the  structure  of  glaciers  as 
they  exist  now,  aud  the  phenomena  connected  with  their  formation, 
maintenance,  aud  movement,  constitute  now  an  extensive  chapter  in 
the  physics  of  the  globe.  On  the  other  hand,  it  has  been  ascertained 
that  glaciers  had  a  much  wider  range  during  an  earlier,  but  neverthe 
less  comparatively  recent  geological  period,  and  have  produced  during 
that  period  phenomena  which,  for  a  long  time,  were  ascribed  to  other 
agencies. 

In  any  investigation  of  glaciers  nowadays,  the  student  should  keep 
in  mind  distinctly  these  two  sides  of  the  subject.  He  ought  also  to 
remember  at  the  outset  what  is  now  no  longer  a  mooted  point,  that, 
at  different  times  during  the  glacial  period,  the  accumulations  of  ice 
covering  larger  or  smaller  areas  of  the  earth's  surface  have  had  an  ever- 
varying  extension,  and  that  whatever  facts  are  observed,  their  value 
will  be  increased  in  proportion  as  the  chronological  element  is  kept  in 
view. 

From  the  physical  point  of  view,  the  Arctic  expedition  under  the  com 
mand  of  Captain  Hall  may  render  science  great  service  should  Dr. 
Bessels  have  an  opportunity  of  comparing  the  present  accumulations  of 
ice  in  the  Arctic  regions  with  what  is  known  of  the  glaciers  of  the  Alps 
and  other  mountainous  regions.  In  the  Alps,  the  glaciers  are  fed  from 
troughs  in  the  higher  regions,  in  which  snow  accumulates  during  the 
whole  year,  but  more  largely  during  winter,  and  by  a  succession  of 
changes  is  gradually  transformed  into  harder  and  harder  ice,  moving 
down  to  lower  regions  where  glaciers  never  could  have  been  formed. 
The  snow-like  accumulations  of  the  upper  regions  are  the  materials 
out  of  which  the  compact  transparent  brittle  ice  of  the  lower  glaciers  is 
made.  Whatever  snow  falls  upon  the  glaciers  in  their  lower  range 
during  winter  melts  away  during  summer,  and  the  glacier  is  chiefly  fed 


660  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  from  above  and  wastes  away  below.  The  water  arising  from  tbe  melt- 
81Z'  ing  of  tbe  snow  at  tbe  surface  contributes  only  indirectly  to  tbe  internal 
economy  of  tbe  glacier.  It  would  be  superfluous  bere  to  rebearse  wbat 
is  known  of  tbe  internal  structure  of  .glaciers  and  of  tbeir  movement; 
it  may  be  found  in  any  treatise  on  glaciers.  Nor  would  it  be  of  any 
avail  to  discuss  tbe  value  of  conflicting  views  concerning  tbeir  motion. 
Suffice  it  to  say  tbat  an  Arctic  explorer  may  add  greatly  to  our  knowl 
edge  by  stating  distinctly  to  wbat  extent  tbe  winter  snow,  falling  upon 
tbe  surface  of  tbe  great  glacial  fields  of  tbe  Arctic,  melts  away  during 
summer  and  leaves  bare  an  old  icy  surface  covered  witb  fragments  of 
rock,  sand,  dust,  &c.  Sucb  an  inquiry  will  ter.cb  us  in  wbat  way  tbe 
great  masses  of  ice  wbicb  pour  into  tbe  Arctic  Ocean  are  formed,  and 
bow  tbe  supply  tbat  empties  annually  into  tbe  Atlantic  is  replenisbed. 
If  tbe  winter  snows  do  not  melt  entirely  in  tbe  lower  part  of  tbe  Arctic 
glaciers  during  summer,  these  glaciers  must  exbibit  a  mucb  more 
regular  stratification  tbaii  tbe  Alpine  glaciers,  and  tbe  successive  falls 
of  snow  must  in  tbem  be  indicated  more  distinctly  .by  layers  of  sand 
and  dust  than  in  those  of  the  Alps  by  the  dirt-bands.  Observations 
concerning  tbe  amount  of  waste  of  tbe  glaciers  by  evaporation  or 
melting,  or  what  I  have  called  ablation  of  the  surface  during  a  given 
time  in  different  parts  of  the  year,  would  also  be  of  great  interest  as 
bearing  upon  the  hygrometric  condition  of  the  atmosphere.  A  pole 
sunk  sufficiently  deep  into  tbe  ice  to  withstand  the  effects  of  the  wind 
could  be  used  as  a  meter.  But  it  ought  to  be  sunk  so  deep  that  it  will 
serve  for  a  period  of  many  months  and  rise  high  enough  not  to  be  buried 
by  a  snow-storm.  It  should  also  be  ascertained,  if  possible,  whether 
water  oozes  from  below  the  glacier,  or,  in  other  words,  whether  the  gla 
cier  is  frozen  to  the  ground  or  separated  from  it  by  a  sheet  of  water. 
If  practicable,  a  line  of  poles  should  be  set  out  with  reference  to  a  rocky 
peak  or  any  bare  surface  of  rock,  in  order  to  determine  the  motion  of 
the  ice.  It  is  a  matter  of  deep  interest  witb  reference  to  questions  con 
nected  with  tbe  former  greater  extension  of  glaciers,  to  know  in  what 
manner  flat  sheets  of  ice  move  on  even  ground,  exhibiting  no  marked 
slope.  It  may  be  possible  to  ascertain,  after  a  certain  time,  by  tbe 
change  of  position  of  poles  sunk  in  the  ice,  whether  the  motion  follows 
the  inequalities  of  the  surface  or  is  determined  by  tbe  lay  of  the  land 
and  the  exposure  of  the  ice  to  the  atmospheric  agents,  heat,  moisture, 
wind,  &c.  It  would  be  of  great  interest  to  ascertain  whether  there  is 
any  motion  during  tbe  winter  season,  or  whether  motion  takes  place 
only  during  the  period  when  water  may  trickle  through  tbe  ice.  Tbe 
polished  surfaces  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  glacier  ice  exhibit  such 
legible  signs  of  the  direction  in  which  the  ice  moves,  that  wherever 
ledges  of  rocks  are  exposed,  tbe  scratches  and  furrows  upon  their  sur- 


Instructions  of  the  National  Academy.  661 

face  may  serve  as  a  sure  register  of  its  progress ;  but  before  taking  this     instructions  by 
as  evidence,  it  should,  if  possible,  be  ascertained  that  such  surfaces  actu 
ally  belong  to  the  area  over  which  the  adjoining  ice  moves  during  its 
expansion,  leaving  them  bare  in  its  retreat. 

The  geological  agency  of  glaciers  will  no  doubt  receive  additional 
evidence  from  a  careful  examination  of  this  point  in  the  Arctic  regions. 
A  moving  sheet  of  ice,  stretching  over  a  rocky  surface,  leaves  such 
unmistakable  marks  of  its  passage  that  rocky  surfaces  which  have  once 
been  glaciated,  if  I  may  thus  express  the  peculiar  action  of  ice  upon 
rocks,  viz,  the  planing,  polishing,  scratching,  grooving,  and  furrowing 
of  their  surfaces,  can  never  be  mistaken  for  anything  else,  and  may 
everywhere  be  recognized  by  a  practiced  eye.  These  marks,  in  con 
nection  with  transported  loose  materials,  drift,  and  bowlders,  are  unmis 
takable  evidence  of  the  great  extension  which  glaciers  once  had.  But 
here  it  is  important  to  discriminate  between  two  sets  of  facts,  which 
have  generally  been  confounded.  In  the  proximity  of  existing  glaciers, 
these  marks  and  these  materials  have  a  direct  relation  to  the  present 
sheet  of  ice  near  by.  It  is  plain,  for  instance,  that  the  polished  surfaces 
about  the  Grimsel,  and  the  loose  materials  lying  between  the  glacier  of 
the  Aar  and  the  Hospice,  are  the  work  of  the  glacier  of  the  Aar  when 
it  extended  beyond  its  present  limits,  and  s>tep  by  step  its  greater 
extension  may  be  traced  down  to  Meyringen,  and  in  connection  with 
other  glaciers  from  other  valleys  of  the  Bernese  Oberlaud,  it  may  be 
tracked  as  far  as  Thun  or  Berne,  when  the-relation  to  the  Alps  becomes 
complicated  with  features  indicating  that  the  whole  valley  of  Switzer 
land,  between  the  Alps  and  the  Jura,  was  once  occupied  by  ice.  On  the 
other  hand,  there  are  evident  signs  of  the  former  presence  of  local 
glaciers  in  the  Jura,  as,  for  instance,  on  the  Dent  de  Vaulion,  which 
mark  a  later  era  in  the  history  of  glaciation  in  Switzerland.  Now  the 
traces  of  the  former  existence  of  extensive  sheets  of  ice  over  the  conti 
neut  of  North  America  are  everywhere  most  plainly  seen,  but  no  one 
has  yet  undertaken  to  determine  in  what  relation  these  glaciated  sur 
faces  of  past  ages  stand  to  the  ice-fields  of  the  present  day  in  the 
Arctics.  The  scientific  men  connected  with  Captain  Hall's  expedition 
would  render  science  an  important  service  if  they  could  notice  the  trend 
and  bearing  of  all  the  glacial  scratches  they  may  observe  upon  denudated 
surfaces  wherever  they  land.  It  would  be  advisable  for  them,  if  possible, 
to  break  off  fragments  of  such  glaciated  rocks  and  mark  with  an  arrow 
their  bearing.  It  would  be  equally  important  to  notice  how  far  the 
loose  materials,  pebbles,  bowlders,  &c.,  differ  in  their  mineralogical  char 
acter  from  the  surface  on  which  they  rest,  and  to  what  extent  they  are 
themselves  polished,  rounded,  scratched,  or  furrowed,  and  also  what  is 
the  nature  of  the  clay  or  sand  which  holds  them  together.  It  would  be 


662  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy. 

Instructions  by  particularly  interesting  to  learn  how  far  there  are  angular  bowlders 
among  these  loose  materials,  and  what  is  their  position  with  reference 
to  the  compacted  drift  made  up  of  rounded,  polished,  and  stratched 
pebbles  and  bowlders.  Should  an  opportunity  occur  of  tracing  the 
loose  materials  of  any  locality  to  some  rock  in  situ,  at  a  greater  or  less 
distance,  and  the  nature  of  the  materials  should  leave  no  doubt  of  their 
identify,  this  would  afford  an  invaluable  indication  of  the  direction  in 
which  the  loose  materials  have  traveled.  Any  indication  relating  to 
the  differences  of  level  among  such  materials  would  add  to  the  value  of 
the  observation.  I  have  purposely  avoided  all  theoretical  considerations, 
and  only  call  attention  to  the  facts  which  it  is  most  important  to  ascer 
tain,  in  order  to  have  a  statement  as  unbiased  as  possible. — [L.  A.] 

NOTE. — These  Instructions  of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences,  as  here  given,  are 
to  bo  found  in  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy's  Report  for  1871. 


II. 

CORRESPONDENCE 

BETWEEN    THE 

BRITISH   ADMIRALTY 


IN  RELATION  TO  THE 


STORES  LEFT  BY  THE  POLARIS  EXPEDITION  ON  THE  WEST 
COAST  OF  GREENLAND. 


II. 

CORRESPONDENCE. 


SECRETARY   OF    ADMIRALTY   TO    UNDER    SECRETARY   OF    STATE   FOR 

FOREIGN    AFFAIRS. 

ADMIRALTY,  ±th  December,  1874.        Letters. 

SIR  :  I  am  commanded  by  my  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty  rulty. 
to  request  that  you  will  move  the  Earl  of  Derby  to  cause  inquiries  to  be     Under  Sec.  of 
made  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States  whether  any  of  the  stores 
or  provisions  sent  out  for  the  relief  of  the  "Polaris"  Expedition  are  still 
in  the  depot  on  the  west  coast  of  Greenland,  and,  if  so,  whether  the 
Polar  expedition  of  1875  may  consider  them  available  for  use  on  giving 
proper  receipts. 

In  the  event  of  the  stores  at  the  depot  being  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
the  expedition,  my  Lords  request  that  they  may  be  furnished  with  a  list 
of  all  such  stores,  provisions,  &c. 

I  am,  &c., 

(Signed)     ROBERT  HALL. 
The  UNDER  SECRETARY  OF  STATE,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

Foreign  Office. 


MR.   LISTER  TO  SECRETARY  OF  THE  ADMIRALTY. 

FOREIGN  OFFICE,  9th  February,  1875. 

SIR  :  With  reference  to  your  letter  of  the  4th  of  December,  I  am  di 
rected  by  the  Earl  of  Derby  to  transmit  to  you,  to  be  laid  before  the 
Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty,  a  copy  of  a  despatch  from  Sir 
Edward  Thornton,  forwarding  the  reply  of  the  United  States  Government 
to  the  application  which  he  was  instructed  to  make  to  them  in  regard 
to  the  stores  of  the  "Polaris"  Expedition,  and  I  am  to  request  you  to 
move  their  Lordships  to  inform  Lord  Derby  whether  they  would  wish  Sir 
Edward  Thornton  to  be  instructed  to  convey  the  thanks  of  Her  Majesty's 
Government  to  the  United  States  Government  for  the  liberal  way  in 
which  they  have  placed  the  stores  in  question  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Arctic  expedition  about  to  be  despatched  from  this  country. 

I  am,  &c., 

(Signed)    T.  V.  LISTER. 

The  SECRETARY,  Admiralty. 


Correspondence. 

WASHINGTON,  25tk  January,  1875. 

Letters.  MY  LORD  :  In  compliance  with  the  instruction  contained  in  your  Lord- 

.r.  l  '  ship's  despatch,  No.  364,  of  12th  ultimo,  I  addressed  a  note  to  Mr.  Fish, 

Sec.  of  State,     inquiring  whether  the  stores  sent  to  Greenland  by  the  United  States 

Government  for  the  relief  of  the  "  Polaris"  Expedition  could  be  made 

available  for  the  use  of  the  Arctic  Expedition  about  to  be  despatched 

by  Her  Majesty's  Government. 

I  have  now  the  honour  to  transmit  copies  of  Mr.  Fish's  reply,  and  of 
its  enclosures,  from  which  your  Lordship  will  perceive  that  the  United 
States  Government  is  willing  to  place  at  the  disposal  of  that  expedition 
all  or  any  of  the  above-mentioned  stores  which  can  be  found. 

I  have  requested  Mr.  Fish  to  offer  my  thanks  to  the  United  States 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  for  the  readiness  with  which  he  has  complied 
with  the  request  of  Her  Majesty's  Government,  and  for  the  good  wishes 
for  the  success  of  the  British  Expedition  which  he  conveys  on  behalf  of 
the  Navy  Department. 

I  have,  &c., 

(Signed)    EDWAED  THORNTON. 
The  EARL  OF  DERBY,  &c.,  &c. 


DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE, 

Washington,  January  23,  1875. 

SIR  :  I  had  the  honor  to  inform  you  in  my  note  of  the  29th  ultimo 
that  I  had  referred  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  a  copy  of  your  note  of 
the  26th  ultimo,  in  which,  under  instructions  from  the  Earl  of  Derby, 
you  made  inquiries  concerniug  the  condition  and  location  of  stores  or 
provisions  sent  to  Greenland  by  this  Government  for  the  relief  of  the 
"  Polaris"  Expedition,  and  whether  the  Polar  expedition  to  be  despatched 
by  Her  Majesty's  Government  in  1875  may  consider  them  available  for 
use,  and  requesting,  in  that  event,  to  be  furnished  with  a  list  of  all  such 
stores  and  provisions. 

I  have  the  honor  to  inclose,  in  reply  to  your  inquiries,  and  in  compli 
ance  with  your  request,  a  copy  of  a  letter  of  the  19th  instant,  and  of  its 
accompaniments,  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  on  the  subject. 
Accept,  &c., 

(Signed)     HAMILTON  FISH. 
The  Right  Honorable  Sir  E.  THORNTON,  K.  C.  B.,  &c. 


Correspondence.  667 

NAVY  DEPARTMENT,  Letter. 

•nrr      i  •       j.  T  in     lorrt-  Soc.     of    the 

Washington,  January  Li),  18*5.      Navy. 

SIR:  I  have  tbe  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  communi 
cation  of  the  29th  December  last,  and  the  copy  of  the  note  of  the  26th. 
of  December  from  the  British  Minister,  making  certain  inquiries  con 
cerning  the  stores  or  provisions  which  were  sent  out  by  the  United 
States  Government  for  the  relief  of  the  "Polaris"  Expedition.  I  beg 
leave  to  state  that  it  is  not  practicable  to  furnish  an  exact  inventory  of 
stores,  &c.,  left  by  the  "Polaris"  Expedition  on  the  west  coast  of  Green 
land,  but  I  inclose  such  information  as  is  in  the  possession  of  this  Depart 
ment,  with  an  approximate  list  of  articles  cached  or  otherwise  secured  or 
deposited,  and  a  description  of  the  localities  in  which  they  were  left. 

All  or  any  of  these  stores  are  at  the  service  of  the  Polar  Expedition 
to  be  dispatched  in  1875  by  Her  Majesty's  Government,  and  in  the  event 
of  their  use  the  Department  will  accept  such,  inventory  and  appraise 
ment  as  may  be  made  by  the  order  of  the  commander  of  the  expedition. 
If  the  pendulum  should  be  recovered  at  Life-Boat  Cove,  the  Department 
hopes  that  it  may  be  practicable  to  use  it  in  connection  with  such  obser 
vations  as  may  be  made  by  the  British  Expedition  with  its  own  instru 
ment.  On  the  return  of  the  expedition,  the  Department  will  be  gratified 
to  receive  the  pendulum,  and  also  any  other  instruments,  and  such  arms, 
implements,  and  books  as  may  have  been  recovered.  The  Department 
takes  this  occasion  to  express  its  most  cordial  wishes  for  the  success  of 
the  British  Expedition  of  1875  toward  the  North  Pole  by  way  of  Smith's 
Sound, 

I  am,  &c., 

(Signed)    GEO.  M.  KOBESON. 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
The  Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH, 

Secretary  of  State. 


UNITED  STATES  NAVAL  OBSERVATORY, 

,  Washington,  I).  C^  January  9,  1875. 

SIR  :  In  answer  to  your  inquiries  concerning  the  stores  and  provisions 
deposited  on  the  west  coast  of  Greenland  by  the  "Polaris"  Expedition, 
I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report : 

There  were  three  different  deposits  made:  one  on  Cape  Sumner, another 
at  Thank-God  Harbor,  and  the  third  near  Life-Boat  Cove. 

Two  crews  left  their  boats,  one  a  whale-boat  twenty-four  feet  long, 
and  the  other  the  '•  lleggleman,,"  canvas  boat,  on  Cape  Sumner,  at  the 
southern  entrance  of  Newman's  Bay,  in  latitude  81°  51'  N.,  and  traveled 
on  foot  over  the  land  to  the  ship.  No  list  was  made  of  the  articles  se- 


G68 


Correspondence. 


Letter.  cured  with  the  boats.*     The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  what  each 

B.  W.  D.  Bryan. 


Provisions,  &c.,for  whale-boat. 
135  pounds  pemmican.  12  cans  of  milk. 


192  pounds  preserved  meats. 

23  pounds  tripe. 

76  pounds  Polar  cake. 

24  pounds  ham. 

31  pounds  molasses. 
200  pounds  bread. 
30  pounds  chocolate. 
22  pounds  cofl'ee. 
50  pounds  oatmeal. 
36  pounds  sugar. 
20  pounds  cheese. 
1  saw. 
3  files. 

6  sheath-knives. 
Lead,  canvas,  and   tacks  for 

boat- men  ding. 
1  dozen  spare  goggles. 
1  spare  oar. 
6  pans,  spoons,  and  pots. 

1  small  copper  stove. 

2  stove-kettles. 

2  spare  roullaum  (?). 
5  Sharps'  rifles. 

1  shot-gun. 

2,500  fathoms  of  sounding-line. 
1  patent  log. 
1  bag  of  shot. 

3  pounds  of  powder. 


100  boxes  of  sardines. 
400  cartridges  (Sharps'  rifle). 
100  cartridges,     center-fire     (Navy 
pistol). 

1  grapnel. 

2  whale-irons. 
2  lances. 

25  fathoms  spare  lance- warp. 
1  spare  set  of  rudder-pindles  (?). 
6  sleeping-bags. 
1  tent. 

1  boat-cover. 

2  rubber  blankets. 

1  box  chronometer. 

2  artificial  horizons. 
1  thermometer-case. 
1  sextant-stand. 

1  boat-sled. 
1  fog-horn. 

1  ball  spun-yarn. 
6  briar  pipes. 

4  jack-knives. 

6  copper  cylinders  (for  deposits). 

2  telescopes. 

1  pair  of  field-glasses. 
1  apparatus  for  sounding. 

Alcohol  for  specimens. 

Blotting-paper  for  plants. 


Provisions,  &c.<  for  "  Heggleman"  boat. 

134  pounds  bread.  6  pans,  spoons,  and  pots. 

90  pounds  pemmican.  8  briar  pipes. 

18  pounds  coffee.  6  sheath-knives. 

20  pounds  oatmeal.  5  rubber  blankets. 

2  cases  preserved  meats.  5  spare  goggles. 
2  gallons  molasses. 

*  A  few  cases  of  preserved  meat  and  a  little  bread,  about  .r>00  cartridges,  one  shot 
gun,  two  rilles,  one  box  chronometer,!  two  sextants. 

i  This  chronometer,  made  by  T.  S.  and  J.  D.  Negn  s,  of  Now  York,  after  an  exposure  of  four  winters, 
was,  in  1876,  taken  on  board  Her  Miijewty's  steamship  Discovery;  in  a  letter  dated  December  14th, 
1870,  addressed  to  tlio  Secretary  of  the  Admiralty,  and  communicated  to  the  Navy  Department,  (lap- 
tain  Naros  says  that  the  chronometer  "has  kept  excellent  time  since  its  recovery."— March  30,  1877. 


Correspondence. 

The  above  list  for  the  canvas  boat  is,  perhaps,  not  complete,  though 
its  supply  was  much  less  than  that  of  the  whale-boat. 

The  provisions  taken  by  each  boat  were  nearly,  if  not  quite,  all  con 
sumed,  but  as  the  men  could  not  carry  much  weight  away,  we  may  con 
clude  that  a  great  part  of  the  stores  still  remain. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  provisions  and  stores  deposited 
in  Thank-God  Harbor,  in  latitude  80°  37'  N.,  longitude  61°  37'  W. : 


669 


Letter. 

R.  W.  1).  Bryan. 


3  barrels  clear  pork. 
25  barrels  Graham  bread. 
1  barrel  molasses. 
1  barrel  vinegar. 
£  barrel  brown  sugar. 
1  barrel  lime-juice. 
1  barrel  pea-  beans. 


1 
1 
2 
4 
12 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
4 


barrel  southern  wheat.* 

barrel  rice. 

tierces  hams. 
^  cases  pemmican  (1,500  Ibs). 

cases  preserved  meat. 

chest  black  tea. 

bag  coffee  (100  pounds). 

cases  wheaten  grits. 

case  alcohol  (10  gallons). 

case  brandy  (1  dozen). 

cases  whisky. 

cases  oil  clothing. 

case  men's  stoga  boots. 
\  case  men's  kip  shoes. 
\  case  leather  gaiters. 

case  pea-coats. 

dozen  blue  flannel  overshirts. 

dozen  drawers. 

dozen  gray  heavy  undershirts. 

dozen  gray  drawers. 

dozen  black  silk  handkerchiefs. 

dozen  blue  Navy  trousers. 

dozen  long  woolen  stockings. 


2  dozen  short  SOCKS. 

2  dozen  blue  flannel  undershirts. 

2  dozen  woolen  mittens. 

1  dozen  woolen  comforters. 

1  dozen  Russian  caps. 
£  dozen  tarpaulin  hats. 

2  dozen  white  linen  frocks. 

3  half  boxes  Navy  chewing  tobacco. 

1  box  Danish  tobacco. 

2  boxes  salt-water  soap. 

£  box  Navy  shaving  soap. 

3  pounds  black  linen  thread. 
3  pounds  white  linen  thread. 
1£  pounds  black  sewing-silk. 
1£  pounds  papers  needles. 

5  pounds  woolen  yarn. 

1  case  clay  pipes. 

3  dozen  briar  pipes. 

3  dozen  assorted  knives. 
1  dozen  tin  pots. 

1  dozen  assorted  tin  pans. 

2  bolts  No.  1  cotton  canvas. 
1  bolt  Bavens  duck. 

1  section  main-deck  awning. 

4  sewing  and  roping  palms. 

3  pounds  flax  sewing-twine. 
3  pounds  cotton. 

2  pounds  beeswax. 

50  assorted  sail-needles. 


Ordnance  stores. 


4     short  guns,  with  appurte 
nances  complete. 
4    Sharps'  rifles. 


1,000   cartridges  (Remington  rifle). 
1,000    cartridges  (ball  and   buck 
shot). 


*  Some  of  this  wheat  was,  in  1876,  successfully  grown  on  board  H.  M.  S.  Discovery. 


670  Correspondence. 

Letter.  4    Remington  rifles.  100    cartridges  (Navv  pistols). 

U.  W.D.Bryan.  r    x;  .   ,    , 

6    Navy  pistols.  G    shovels. 

1    dozen  leather  belts.  2    pickaxes  and  hoe  combined. 

£  dozen  frogs.  1    dozen  assorted  files. 

£  dozen  cartridge-boxes.  3    clay-hammers. 

£  dozen  caps.  1    broad  ax. 

10    bags  shot  (250  pounds).  2    wood-axes. 

20    pounds  musket-powder.  feet  lumber. 

50    pounds  bar-lead.  1    barrel  jar. 

^  dozen  powder-flasks.  |  gross  assorted  fishing-hooks. 

£  dozen  shot-belts.  G    cod-lines  (GO  fathoms  each). 

10,000    gun-caps.  3    coils  halibut-line. 

10,000    cartridges  (Sharps'  rifle). 

The  observatory  at  Thank-God  Harbor  was  left;  standing,  filled  with 
such  articles  as  would  be  affected  by  the  weather,  and  covered  with  a  sail. 
About  100  feet  to  the  north  of  the  observatory  the  remainder  of  the 
stores  were  deposited  in  a  pile  on  the  ground. 
Near  Life-Boat  Cove  the  following  articles  were  placed  in  a  cache : 
The  pendulum. 

The  transit-instrument  without  its  glasses. 
Three  box  chronometers. 
Two  or  three  trunks  containing  the  arctic  library  of  the  late  Capt. 

C.  F.  Hall. 

The  house  where  the  second  winter  was  passed  by  a  portion  of  the 
"Polaris"  crew  is  in  latitude  78°  23£'  N.,  longitude  73°  21'  W. 

The  deposit  is  about  E.SE.  from  the  house,  and  distant  about  one- 
quarter  of  a  mile. 

The  Esquimaux  know  where  it  is,  and  if  they  have  not  disturbed  it 
would  readily  lead  one  to  it. 

Aided  by  the  records  of  the  expedition  and  my  own  recollection,  I 
have  endeavored  to  answer  your  inquiries. 
I  have.  &c., 

(Signed)      R.  W.  D.  BRYAN, 

Astronomer  to  the  late  United  States  North  Polar  Expedition. 
Bear- Admiral  WILLIAM  REYNOLDS, 

Chief  Bureau  of  Equipment  and  Recruiting, 

Navy  Department,  Washington,  D.  G. 


Correspondence.  671 

SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION,  Letter. 

E.  Bessels. 
Washington^  D.  C.,  January  13,  1875. 

Sin :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  a  report,  in  accordance  with 
instructions  received,  upon  the  stores  deposited  near  Smith  Sound  dur 
ing  the  late  United  States  North  Polar  expedition. 

I  understand  the  Department  is  in  possession  of  an  invoice  enumerat 
ing  these  stores,  and,  therefore,  I  beg  leave  merely  to  offer  a  few  remarks 
with  regard  thereto. 

The  depot  left  on  the  south  shore  of  Newman's  Bay  cannot  be  relied 
upon,  as  it  only  consists  of  a  very  limited  number  of  cans  containing 
preserved  meat,  some  hard  bread,  G.  G.,  stowed  in  a  whale-boat. 

The  latter  might  be  found  useful  in  case  of  emergency,  though  her 
bows  are  stove  in,  but  as  there  are  a  package  of  tacks  and  some  sheet- 
lead  contained  in  her  lockers,  the  damage  can  be  easily  repaired. 

As  far  as  I  can  remember,  the  following  instruments  are  contained  in 
the  boat : 

1  spirit  boat- compass. 
1  patent  log. 

1  box  chronometer. 

2  sextants. 

Near  the  whale-boat  our  canvas  boat^will  be  found,  under  a  pile  of  stores, 
but  most  likely  it  will  not  be  of  any  value,  as  it  was  already  useless  some 
three  years  ago.  A  small  sledge  leaning  against  the  stone-pile  can  be 
used  to  mount  the  whale-boat.  Most  likely  the  stores  left  at  Thank-God 
Harbor  will  be  found  in  good  condition,  as  it  is  not  probable  that  they 
have  been  disturbed  by  bears,  for  we  never  saw  any  of  these  animals 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  our  first  winter-quarters.  Some  of  the 
stores  could  not  be  cached  properly,  as  the  beach  consists  of  shingle  only, 
which  could  not  be  penetrated  to  a  greater  depth  than  about  two  feet 
owing  to  the  frozen  condition  of  the  subsoil.  The  observatory,  however, 
contains  such  stores  as  would  have  been  injured  by  exposure  to  atmos 
pheric  influence.  These  will  probably  be  found  serviceable,  as  this 
building  was  carefully  closed  and  fastened  to  the  soil  by  means  of  the 
diverging  arms  of  the  transit-stand  T,  whereby  the  danger  of  its  being 
blown  over  would  be  to  a  great  extent  obviated. 

No  provisions  were  left  at  Life-Boat  Cove,  but  a  cache  will  be  found 
at  that  locality  (highest  point  of  Lyttleton  Island,  N.  343°  E.  and  N. 
120°  5'  E.,  tangent  to  Cape  Maryaliug)  containing  several  boxes  of  books 
and  instruments,  among  the  latter  a  pendulum,  which  served  to  make 
our  determinations  of  force  of  gravity. 

I  would  respectfully  suggest  that  in  case  the  English  expedition  should 
laud  at  Life-Boat  Cove  they  take  with  them,  if  possible,  this  pendulum, 
for  the  following  reasons  : 


672  Correspondence. 


Letters.  1.  A  simultaneous  comparison  of  this  iustrumeiit  with  that  which 

Sec.  6ofe  Adtui-  wiN  be  employed  by  them  would  greatly  enhance  the  value  of  their  own 
ralty.  as  well  as  of  our  observations. 

2.  They  would  then  be  able  to  compare,  probably  at  one  point,  two 
pendulums  that  have  both  been  used  extensively  in  different  latitudes. 

I  am,  &c., 

(Signed)       EMIL  BESSELS, 

Chief  of  the  Scientific  Department  of  Late  Arctic  Expedition. 
Admiral  WILLIAM  REYNOLDS. 


SECRETARY  OF  ADMIRALTY  TO  UNDER  SECRETARY  OF  STATE,  FOR 
EIGN  OFFICE. 

ADMIRALTY,  February  18,  1875. 

SIR:  With  reference  to  your  letter  of  the  9th  instant,  forwarding  the 
reply  of  the  United  States  Government  to  the  application  made  to  them 
in  regard  to  the  stores  of  the  "Polaris  Expedition,"  deposited  on  the 
west  coast  of  Greenland,  I  am  commanded  by  my  Lords  Commissioners 
of  the  Admiralty  to  request  that  you  will  move  the  Secretary  of  State 
for  Foreign  Affairs  to  instruct  Her  Majesty's  minister  at  Washington  to 
convey  the  thanks  of  Her  Majesty's  Government  to  that  of  the  United 
States  for  the  liberal  manner  in  which  they  have  placed  the  stores  in 
question  at  the  disposal  of  the  Arctic  Expedition,  and  for  their  good 
wishes  for  the  success  of  the  undertaking. 

I  am,  &c., 

(Signed)      EGBERT  HALL. 
The  UNDER  SECRETARY  OF  STATE,  &c., 

Foreign  Office. 


III. 


JOURNALS 


OF 


MR.  H.  C.  CHESTER  AND  CAPTAIN  GEO.  E.  TYSON 


WHILE 


ON  BOAT-JOURNEYS,  JUNE-JULY,  1872. 


43 


III. 

JOURNALS  OF  BOAT-JOURNEYS. 


MR.  CHESTER'S  JOURNAL  [CONDENSED  BY  R.  w.  D.  BRYAN.  | 

June  13. — At  11.40  a.  in.  start  from  Cape  Lupton.     After  two  stops     1872. 
haul  up  011  the  land-ice  at  5.15  p.  ra.,  having  made  a  distance  of  2£  miles. 
Canvas  boat  leaks  badly. 

June  14. — Ice  opened  at  2.20  p.  in.,  when  the  start  was  made.  At 
4  p.  m.,  ice  closing,  were  obliged  to  pull  up  on  a  piece  of  drifting  ice. 
Ther.,  32°.6  P. 

June  15. — At  G.40  a.  m.  left  the  old  floe  and  worked  our  way  out 
through  the  small  ice  into  the  open  water.  During  our  stay  on  the  old 
floe  we  were  drifted  4£  miles  to  the  south,  but  we  are  now  in  clear  water. 
Though  we  have  a  fresh  head-wind  we  make  very  good  headway  with 
our  canvas  boat.  In  pulling  up  along  the  land  saw  large  quantities  of 
dovekies  sporting  in  the  water,  a  few  eider-ducks,  several  ivory-gulls, 
and  a  few  seals.  At  8  p.  m.  landed  on  the  ice-floe  at  the  mouth  of 
Newman's  Bay.  The  distance  pulled  during  the  day,  23  miles. 

June  16. — Not  a  particle  of  open  water  to  be  seen.  Mr.  Meyer 
taking  bearings  and  sketching  the  laud.  Our  boat-camp  is  about  3 
miles  to  the  N.  and  W.  of  Cape  Sumner. 

June  17. — SW.  wind  driving  pack  north.  Channel  still  blocked  up 
with  ice.  Latitude  observed,  81°  55'  45"  N.  Ther.,  35°  F. 

June  18  and  19. — SW.  wind ;  ice  moving  north,  at  times  at  the  rate  of 
two  miles  per  hour.  Ther.,  32°.6  F.  to  36°  F. 

June  20  and  21. — Fresh  breeze  from  the  north.  Ice  moving  south  one 
and  a  half  to  two  miles  per  hour. 

June  22. — Open  water  abreast  of  camp  and  toward  the  south  ;  ice  to 
the  north.  The  furthest  point  of  land  seen  on  west  side  of  the  channel 
bears  N.  £  W.  true  from  our  boat-camp,  and  is  from  50  to  GO  miles  distant. 
In  a  direction  one  point  clear  of  that  cape,  from  our  camp,  something 
has  the  appearance  of  laud  and  pronounced  so  by  all  hands,  but  it  is  a 
long  distance  off.  Ther.,  30^.3  F. 

June  23. — At  7  a.  m.  launched  boat  and  pulled  up  about  two  and  a 
half  miles  to  the  NE.,  along  the  edge  of  the  floe.  Meeting  the  pack 
coming  down  rapidly  and  grinding  along  on  the  edge  of  the  floe,  we  were 


676  Journals  of  Boat-Journeys. 

obliged  to  fleet  back  a  little,  and  soon  hurried  our  boat  and  things  out 
ou  the  floe  again.  Two  of  the  boat's  crew,  Siemens  and  Kruger,  went 
to  the  land,  north  side  of  the  bay,  near  Cape  Brevoort,  to  look  for  musk- 
ox.  They  returned  to  the  camp  at  9.30  p.  m. ;  saw  no  game  ;  ascended 
one  of  the  mountains  bordering  the  straits ;  had  a  good  view  to  the 
north,  and  could  see  no  open  water  in  that  direction.  Ther.,  32°.8  F. 
to  300.8  F. 

June  24. — The  keen  wind  makes  it  rather  cold  ;  our  tent  is  constructed 
from  the  Hegglemanu  boat  turned  up  on  the  side,  with  rubber  blankets 
stretched  in  front.  It  makes  us  quite  a  shelter.  We  have  no  fuel  for 
cooking-purposes.  This  evening  the  boys  got  up  a  little  hot  coffee  by 
the  burning  up  of  an  old  pair  of  condemned  boots.  Ther.,  30°.2  F.  to 
31°.8  F. 

June  25  and  26. — Wind  north;  ice  moving  south. 

June  27. — Siemens  and  Kruger  volunteered  to  go  overland  to  the 
ship  to  bring  up  a  supply  of  bread.  We  have  been  detained  here  so 
long  that  I  am  afraid  when  we  do  have  a  chance  to  proceed  that  we 
shall  be  short  of  bread.  We  have  sufficient  meat  to  last  us  till  the  first 

of  September. 

June  28. — At  2  a.  m.  the  pack,  which  is  driving  down  the  channel 
rapidly,  began  to  grind  pretty  hard  on  the  edge  of  the  floe,  breaking 
and  piling  up  the  ice  in  all  manner  of  shapes,  and  causing  us  to  fleet 
back  ou  the  old  floe  with  our  boat  and  provisions  some  two  or  three 
hundred  yards. 

June  29. — Wind  N. ;  pack  moving  south.  At  5  p.  m.  shut  down 
thick  fog. 

June  30,  2  30  a.  m. — Hans  arrived  with  a  note  from  Captain  Buding- 
ton.  At  3  p.  m.  Mr.  Meyer  left  the  camp  to  go  to  the  laud  on  the 
north  side  of  Newman's  Bay  to  survey. 

July  1. — Breeze  from  N. ;  ice  moving  S.  Mr.  Meyer  returned  from 
his  trip  to  the  land  at  C  p.  m.  (He  had  traveled  as  far  north  as  the 
shore  of  Kepulse  Harbor,  and  observed  a  midnight  altitude  of  the  sun, 
•which  gave  the  latitude  of  82°  7'  N.) 

July  2. — Mr.  Meyer  is  a  little  snow-blind  to-day  from  his  walk  yester 
day  over  the  ice  without  wearing  glasses. 

.  July  3. — The  character  of  the  ice  has  been  about  one  thing  ever  since 
we  have  been  here — small  ice  jammed  up  into  innumerable  hummocks 
and  assuming  all  manner  of  shapes  and  forms.  Occasionally  an  old 
flat  floe  seen  among  it  as  it  moves  down  the  channel. 

July  4. — At  5  a.  m.,  Siemens  and  Kruger  arrived  at  the  camp  from 
the.  ship.  They  had  been  39  hours  on  the  trip  up.  Part  of  the  way 
they  dragged  the  articles  that  they  brought  on  a  small  sled,  but  it 
broke  down  and  they  were  obliged  to  abandon  it,  and  the  rest  of  the 


Journals  of  Boat- Journeys.  077 

way  the  bread  and  the  other  small  articles  were  brought   on  their     1872. 
shoulders. 

July  5. — Wind  north  ;  ice  moving  south  ;  a  few  lanes  of  water  at 
times. 

July  s. — Light  rain  and  snow ;  fog.  The  wet  weather  confines  us  under 
our  canvas  boat  all  this  day.  I  am  waiting  in  hopes  that  the  ice  might 
soon  open  in  the  channel,  either  to  let  us  to  the  ship  with  the  boat,  or 
across  the  channel.  If  we  could  be  fortunate  enough  to  cross  the  channel, 
I  am  confident  we  could  reach  a  high  latitude  overland,  but  I  am  afraid 
the  ice  won't  admit  of  our  doing  that.  The  only  alternative  is  to  go 
back  to  the  ship  without  having  accomplished  anything,  and  if  the  ves 
sel  escape  destruction  at  Thank-God  Harbor,  put  south  as  soon  as  an 
opportunity  permits. 

July  10.— In  the  afternoon  the  pack  began  to  slack  up  from  the  edge 
of  the  floe,  leaving  a  narrow  strip  of  water.  At  5  p.  m.,  started  south 
with  boat ;  advanced  about  two  miles  ;  the  pack  closing  in,  landed  on 
the  floe  again ;  now  waiting  for  a  chance  to  get  to  the  ship  with  the 
boat. 

July  11. — Calms  and  clear  weather ;  no  open  water;  ice  moving  south. 

July  12. — Light  wind,  S W. ;  pack  moved  N.  for  a  few  hours. 

July  13. — Wind  S  W. ;  ice  moving  1ST.  Poor  prospects  for  getting 
down  with  our  boat  very  soon.  At  1  p.  m.  started  to  sled  our  boat  in  to 
the  laud  near  Cape  Sumuer,  south  shore  of  Newman's  Bay.  As  we  ad 
vanced  toward  the  shore  the  wind  blew  in  heavy  squalls  off  the  land. 
Getting  within  one  mile  of  the  shore,  we  were  obliged  to  leave  our  boat 
on  the  ice,  and  travel  in  with  our  clothing,  all  hands  becoming  wet 
through,  going  through  deep  pools  of  water. 

July  14. — At  1  a.  in.  landed  on  the  shore.  Soon  got  into  the  tent  near 
Tyson's  boat  and  put  dry  clothing  on  ;  heavy  squalls  blowing  down  the 
mountains.  A  short  time  after  we  landed  the  boat  was  picked  up  by  a 
heavy  squall  of  wind,  was  carried  a  short  distance,  and  a  hole  was  stove 
in  her.  Our  tent  blew  down,  and  we  were  unable  to  erect  it  again  ; 
then  we  had  to  fleet  to  the  boat,  putting  in  all  the  heavy  goods  to  hold 
her  down,  and  getting  into  her  ourselves  secured  a  shelter.  The  gale 
continued  to  blow,  with  unabated  fury,  all  through  the  day,  with  occa 
sional  rain-squalls.  In  the  evening,  unable  to  stop  in  the  boat  any 
longer,  lashed  her  down  with  ropes  and  stones,  took  our  tent  up  near  a 
bluff,  where  we  found  a  lee,  and  erected  it. 

July  15. — Gale  SW.,  with  rain. 

July  1C. — Light  winds  N. ;  cloudy  weather ;  8  a.  m.,  fresh  breeze 
SW.  A  narrow  band  of  water  between  the  shore  and  ice  prevents  us 
from  reaching  our  boat  and  getting  her  on  shore.  At  11.30  a.  m.  two 
of  my  boat's  crew,  Jauika  and  Kruger,  started  for  the  ship  over  the 


678  Journals  of  Boat- Journeys. 

1872.  laud.  At  2  p.  in.  Mr.  Meyer  followed  them,  myself  and  Hermann  Sie 
mens  stopping  here  for  the  purpose  of  drying  up  the  wet  clothing,  and 
of  getting  our  boat  ashore,  which  we  shall  do  the  first  opportunity. 

July  17. — Light  winds,  with  snow.  In  the  afternoon  managed  to  get 
out  to  our  boat,  on  the  ice,  and  at  7  p.  m.  had  our  boat  secured  ashore. 
Picked  up  several  pieces  of  drift-wood  on  the  beach,  some  pieces  18  or 
20  inches  in  length,  and  from  1  to  4  in  diameter ;  one  piece  still  retained 
the  bark  on  it. 

July  18. — Breeze  SW.  5  rain. 

July  19. — Light  winds  and  calm ;  snow.  Latitude,  from  midnight 
meridian  altitude  of  sun,  81°  51'  23"  N. 

July  20. — Light  winds  and  rain. 

July  21. — Fresh  breeze  SW.;  clear.  We  have  been  drying  clothing 
on  the  rocks.  Hermann  Siemens  brought  up  an  armful  of  drift-wood 
from  the  beach,  the  largest  piece  about  4£  inches  in  diameter  and  about 
18  inches  long. 

July  22. — Packed  up  the  goods  snug  in  the  tent.  Placed  a  quantity 
of  stones  on  the  canvas  around  the  tent  to  prevent  its  blowing  down. 
At  2  p.  m.,  with  a  small  bag  of  clothing  and  our  box-chronometer, 
started  overland  to  the  ship.  After  reaching  the  top  of  the  mountains, 
that  we  had  to  cross,  the  only  open  water  that  could  be  seen  in  the 
channel  was  a  narrow  strip  near  the  north  cape,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
channel.  At  midnight  we  were  walking  down  the  plain  near  the  ship. 

CAPTAIN   TYSON'S  JOURNAL   [CONDENSED  BY  E.  W.  D.  BKYAN]. 

June  10.— At  2.40  p.  m.,  we  left  Cape  Lupton  withthe  boat.  Strong 
breeze  from  the  southwest.  Arrived  at  Newman's  Bay  at  10  p.  m.  The 
ice  was  closing  very  fast.  We  hauled  the  boat  on  the  ice  and  encamped. 
It  is  very  dangerous  navigation,  and  in  a  distance  of  twenty  miles  1 
have  not  found  one  spot  fit  to  haul  a  boat  on.  10.30  p.  in.,  no  water, 
the  ice  having  closed  again. 

June  11. — Blowing  strong  from  southwest,  thick  and  foggy,  and  no 
water  visible. 

June  12. — The  storm  continues ;  ice  setting  to  the  north  very  fast. 
Noon,  very  little  wind ;  the  ice  close  and  compact,  very  rough  and 
Immmocky.  Thermometer,  34°  F. 

June  13.— Light  wind  from  southwest ;  the  ice  setting  south  at  the 
rate  of  one  mile  per  hour.  I  cannot  do  anything  toward  getting  ahead 
until  a  change  of  wind  or  perhaps  a  calm. 

June  14. — Light  variable  winds,  fog  and  light  rains;  ice  moving  south. 
Saw  three  burgomeister-gulls,  brent-geese,  and  a  few  dovekies. 

June  15.— Cold,  cloudy,  foggy.  Ther.,  30°  F.  2  p.  m.,  there  is  con 
siderable  water  now  along  the  mouth  of  Newman's  Bay,  but  before  I 


Journals  of  Boat- Journeys.  (579 

start  with  a  loaded  boat  I  must  see  Low  far  it  extends.  So,  taking  the 
boat  without  its  load,  I  pull  north  about  two  and  a  half  miles  toward 
the  north  cape  of  the  bay,  and  there  finding  the  ice  hard  upon  the 
shore,  I  returned  to  the  camp.  I  should  like  very  much  to  gel  to  the 
laud,  where  the  men  would  be  more  comfortable,  for,  encamping  on  the 
ice,  we  have  wet  feet  and  wet  clothes  continually.  Mr.  Chester,  with 
the  canvas  boat,  arrived  at  8.10  p.  m. 

June  16. — Light  breeze  from  the  west.  Ice  drifting  south;  no  chance 
to  get  ahead.  Saw  several  eider-ducks  and  ivory  and  burgomeister 
gulls. 

June  17. — Blowing  strong  southwest.  Ice  setting  north ;  very  close 
and  compact.  Nothing  but  hummocks,  so  that  you  cannot  get  a  boat 
on  and  drift  with  it;  ther.,  33°  F. 

June  18-21. — Very  stormy ;  ice  close,  moving  north  or  south,  as  acted 
upon  by  the  wind  ;  at  times  rain  and  sleet.  Ther.,  26°.8  to  33°  F. 

June  22. — Ther.,  30°.4  F.  There  is  considerable  water  abreast  of  New 
man's  Bay  and  along  the  shore  to  the  southward,  but  to  the  north  the 
ice  is  close  and  compact,  drifting  south  until  it  meets  the  current  com 
ing  out  of  Newman's  Bay;  it  then  turns  to  the  westward,  leaving  quite 
a  space  of  water. 

June  23. — Morning  fine  and  pleasant.  Considerable  water  abreast  of 
Newman's  Bay.  Started  with  the  boats  in  hopes  of  reaching  Cape  Bre- 
voort,  got  two  and  a  half  miles,  found  the  ice  hard  upon  the  shore  and 
coming  south  very  fast. 

June  24. — Blowing  strong  from  the  northeast.  Snow-squalls.  Ice  set 
ting  south  all  day.  It  looks  dark  and  watery  to  the  north  and  northeast. 
Barometer  rising,  29.67  ;  ther.,  30°  F. 

June  25. — Could  I  get  my  boat  on  shore,  I  should  take  the  land  and 
travel  along  the  coast  as  far  as  I  could;  but  I  cannot  get  there.  The 
floe  abreast  of  Newman's  Bay  extends  as  far  as  you  can  see  along  the 
land  to  the  north,  and  is  about  one  mile  from  it  in  the  narrowest  part. 
It  is  piled  high  with  hummocks.  In  fact,  there  is  scarcely  a  place  to 
haul  the  boat  either  on  land  or  ice,  and,  if  I  save  it,  I  shall  consider 
myself  fortunate.  I  cannot  land  on  the  south  side,  because  there  the 
land  is  perpendicular.  I  want  to  get  on  the  north  side,  for  then  I  can 
take  the  ravines  and  travel  along  just  inside  the  coast,  and  at  least  get 
to  83°  N.,  or  thereabout. 

June2G. — Strong  breeze  from  the  northeast;  foggy;  ice  drifting  south. 
No  chance  to  get  ahead.  Saw  a  flock  of  eider-ducks,  male  and  female. 
Bar.,  29.84;  ther.,  3(P  F. 

June  27. — Ther.,  27°.3  F.;  bar.,  29.64.  There  is  quite  a  body  of  open 
water  abreast  of  the  camp,  and  to  the  north,  it  looks  dark  and  heavy. 
There  is  quite  a  sea  running,  and  I  have  moved  my  camp  further  in  on 


080  Journals  of  Boat- Journeys. 

1872.  {i  large,  heavy  piece  of  ice.  It  is  quite  thick,  and  I  cannot  see  beyond 
three  or  four  miles.  A  large  body  of  ice  has  passed  us  during  the  last 
seven  days,  drifting  at  the  rate  of  from  one  to  three  miles  per  hour. 

June  28. — Still  blowing  strong  from  the  northeast.  This  morning,  at 
2  a.  m.,  we  were  startled  at  hearing  the  ice  crushing.  Springing  from 
our  tent,  we  discovered  that  our  old  encamping  place  had  been  de 
stroyed  by  a  large  floe.  The  floe  kept  crushing  in  until  it  approached 
within  40  yards  of  our  present  encampment.  There  it  first  stopped  in 
its  destructive  progress,  and  then  finally  started  on  its  journey  south. 
It  apparently  extends  entirely  across  the  straits,  and  as  far  north  as 
you  can  see.  I  should  think  it  comes  from  the  head  of  the  bay,  for  a 
bay  we  will  surely  find  it,  should  we  be  fortunate  enough  to  get  a  few 
degrees  further  north.  It  was  fortunate  I  removed  the  tent  further  back 
yesterday  morning.  Had  I  been  in  the  old  place,  we  should  have  lost 
everything,  and  probably  our  lives,  as  the  ice  came  in  so  quickly  as  to 
give  us  no  chance  to  escape.  I  have  now  a  watch  set,  who  will  give 
warning  when  these  large  floes  are  approaching.  4  p.  m.,  ther.,  30° 
F. ;  bar.,  29.74. 

June  29.— Light  breeze  from  the  north.  Ther.,  30°  F.  ;  bar.,  29.73.  I 
have  removed  my  camp  further  in  on  a  large  piece  of  floe-ice,  where  my 
former  (first  ?)  camp  was  pitched.  Theice  was  not  very  strong,  and  these 
large  floes  come  drifting  down  with  wind  and  tide,  crushing  everything 
in  their  way  but  the  laud,  and  on  that  they  leave  their  marks. 

June  30. — At  2  a.  in.  we  were  surprised  by  a  visit  from  Hans.  Captain 
Budington  writes  to  Mr.  Chester  to  return  as  soon  as  possible  with  both 
boats,  as  the  ship  is  in  a  condition  that  requires  our  aid.  We  cannot 
get  down  as  yet,  but  will  go  as  soon  as  possible.  Hans  starts  at  2  p.m. 
on  his  return  to  the  vessel,  accompanied  by  Dr.  Bessels.  Midnight, 
ther.,  320.5  F.;  bar.,  29.82. 

July  1. — Strong  breeze  from  the  north.  Ice  setting  south.  No  chance 
to  get  either  to  the  north  or  to  the  vessel.  Ther.,  32°  F.;  bar.,  29.75. 

July  2. — Strong  breeze  from  the  north.  Ice  setting  south.  Ther., 
30°.7  F.;  bar.,  29.55.  Midnight,  ice  setting  north,  against  a  strong 
northeast  wind. 

July  3.— Wind  from  the  north ;  thick  fog.  Bar.,  29.52. ;  ther.,  32°.5  F. 
The  ice  close  and  compact,  with  no  movement.  It  is  impossible  to  get 
to  the  ship  or  to  the  land.  A  good  deal  of  the  ice  consists  of  large, 
heavy,  hummocky,  and  very  rough  floes,  showing  the  signs  of  great 
pressure  while  the  ice  was  forming  and  yet  young.  7  p.  m.,  ther.,  34° 
F.;  barometer  has  been  as  low  as  29.45,  but  is  now  rapidly  rising.  The 
land  is  almost  entirely  bare  of  snow,  showing  that  it  is  much  warmer 
there  than  we  experience  here  on  the  floe. 

July  4. — Blowing  strong  from  the  north.  Ice  setting  south.  There 
is  no  open  water.  Krugcr  and  Siemens  arrived  from  ship  with  provis 


Journals  of  Boat- Journeys.  G81 

ions  and  a  letter  for  Mr.  Chester,  but  none  for  myself.  The  contents  of  1872. 
Mr.  Chester's  letter  I  do  not  know,  but  Kruger  gives  me  all  the  infor 
mation  I  desire.  Captain  Budington  wants  us  to  return  immediately, 
but  we  cannot  get  there  at  present  on  account  of  the  ice,  which  keeps 
us  completely  blocked  up.  I  shall  return  as  soon  as  I  possibly  can.  I 
have  given  up  the  doctor,  who,  I  suppose,  will  not  return  to  the  boats. 
There  is  a  thick  fog  hanging  over  the  laud.  Barometer  at  noon,  29.30, 
but  is  gradually  rising.  4  p.  in.,  thick  and  foggy,  with  a  strong  bree/e 
from  N.NE.  Under  the  fog  to  the  north  it  looks  white,  showing  that 
there  are  large  quantities  of  ice  in  that  direction.  Ther.,  32°  F. 

July  5. — I  started  this  morning  to  haul  my  boat  in  to  the  land  with 
the  help  of  Mr.  Chester's  crew,  and  after  a  tedious  haul  of  eight  hours 
reached  the  land  with  her.  Got  back  to  my  tent  at  midnight. 

July  6. — Started  at  1  a.  m.  with  tent,  clothing,  and  sleeping-gear. 
About  the  time  I  started  a  thick  fog  came  on,  the  wind  being  northerly. 
There  was,  on  some  places  of  the  floe,  so  much  water  that  it  was  fre 
quently  impossible  to  clear  it  during  the  fog;  concluded  therefore  to 
encamp.  At  noon  we  again  took  up  our  work,  and  reached  the  land 
(near  Cape  Sumner)  at  G  p.  m.  For  two  days  now  we  have  had  no  dry 
clothing  on,  but  this  evening  we  change  our  clothing  and  turn  into  our 
blankets,  tired  men.  After  a  good  rest,  I  intend  to  start  for  the  ship. 
I  have  been  here  almost  a  mouth,  and  there  is  no  change  in  the  pros 
pect.  Captain  Budington  is  calling  for  help,  and,  as  I  cannot  get  to 
him  by  water,  I  must  go  by  land.  At  midnight,  one  of  the  men,  Hobby, 
left  for  the  vessel. 

July  7. — Left  for  the  vessel  at  about  3  p.  ra. 


IV. 


JOURNALS 


USED   IN   THE 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  NARRATIVE  OF  THE  POLARIS  EXPEDITION, 


IV. 

JOURNALS  AND  LOG. 


The  following  journals  were  furnished  by  the  Navy  Department:  List  of  journals. 

Capt.  C.  F.  Hall's  journals  during  his  first  expedition,  18GO-'62,  to 
gether  with  all  the  observations,  surveys,  and  sketches  made  by  him : 
during  Ins  second  expedition,  1SG4-'G9 — never  published* — the  complete 
work  of  his  five  years'  labor  among  the  Esquimaux :  a  copy  of  the  notes 
kept  by  Hall  while  on  his  last  sledge-journey,  from  October  10,  1871,  to 
October  24,  1871— the  property  of  Mr.  H.  C.  Chester. 

The  log-book  of  the  Polaris,  written  by  Mr.  H.  C.  Chester,  and  con 
taining  daily  records  without  interruption  from  June  10,  1871,  to  June 
23, 1873,  with  a  few  entries  at  subsequent  dates. 

Captain  Budiugton's  journal,  written  by  J.  B.  Mauch,  under  the  su 
pervision  of  Capt.  S.  O.  Budington;  from  October  10,  .1871,  to  June  26, 
1873. 

R.  W.  D.  Bryan's  journal,  in  two  books:  1st.  From  October  15,  1872, 
to  June  23,  1873.  2d.  From  June  3,  1873,  to  November  15,  1873,  with 
subsequent  entries  up  to  February  27,  1874. 

William  Morton's  journal,  ten  entries  from  July  27,  1871,  to  Febru 
ary  28,  1872;  published  in  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy's  report 
for  1873. 

J.  B.  Mauch's  journal,  in  two  books,  from  June  29,  1871,  to  May  29, 
1873 ; — in  torn  books,  from  January  21, 18725  to  June  7, 1872 ;  from  July 
8,  1872,  to  July  29,  1872;  from  August  29, 1872,  to  October  14,  1872. 

Hermann  Sieineu's  journal,  in  two  books,  1st.  From  June  29,  1871,  to 
October  12,  1872 — published  in  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy's 
report  for  1873.  2d.  From  October  12,  1872,  to  June  25,  1873— in  Ger 
man  ; — translated  and  used. 

Henry  Hobby's  journal — in  German. 

*By  a  Resolution  introduced  into  tbo  United  States  Senate  February  G,  1877,  by  Hon. 
A.  A.  Sargent,  tbe  Secretary  of  tbe  Navy  was  called  upon  to  furnisb,  tbrougb  tbe  Su 
perintendent  of  tbe  Naval  Observatory,  a  Narrative  of  tbis  second  expedition  of  Cap 
tain  Hall.  By  order  of  tbe  Secretary  of  tbe  Navy  of  February  17,  in  consequence  of  tbe 
failing  bealtb  of  Admiral  Davis,  Superintendent,  Prof.  J.  E.  Nourse,  U.  S.  N.,  was 
directed  to  take  charge  of  tbo  preparation  of  tins  Narrative. 


686  Journals  and  Log. 

List  of  journals.  Captain  Tyson's  journal,  in  six  books,  from  October  15,  1872,  to  May 
16, 1873.  These  books  were  furnished  by  Capt.  G.  E.  Tyson  for  the  Arctic 
exhibit  at  the  International  Exhibition  in  Philadelphia,  and  were  merely 
referred  to  in  the  preparation  of  this  Narrative. 

Frederick  Meyer's  journal,  from  October  15,  1872,  to  April  30,  1873 — 
original  not  furnished — published  in  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy's 
report  for  1873. 

John  Herron's  journal,  from  October  15,  1872,  to  May  11,  1873;  pub 
lished  in  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy's  report  for  1873. 


INDEX 


INDEX. 


Adams,  Captain  William,  516. 

Admiralty  lulet,  39. 

Agassiz,  Professor  L.,  instructious  by,  G59  to  GG2. 

Allen,  Captain  William,  512. 

Allyn,  Elder,  47. 

Amcricau  Bible  Society,  62. 

American  Geographical  Society,  reception  of  Hall 

by  (be,  37. 

Anowaytok,  426,  488,  490. 
Appropriation  for  Arctic  Expedition,  27. 
"Arctic",  receives  11  Polaris  men,  516 ;  arrives  at 

at  Dundee,  517. 
Auks,  503;  seen,  492,493,501,  502;  killed,  492,  494, 

500,  502. 
Auroras,  48,  230, 240,  257,  258, 280,  281, 282, 290, 297, 

298, 299,  300, 453,  459, 533, 535, 544, 550. 
Awash  Maud,  Polaris  passes,  71. 

Baird,  Professor  S.  P.,  a  member  of  the  Board  of  In 
quiry,  597 ;  instructions  by,  G53  to  655. 

Barnes,  Surgeon-General  J.  K.,  U.  S.  A.,  medical 
certificate  of,  183. 

Bartlett,  Captain,  rescues  the  ice-floe  party,  572. 

•Be:ile,  Surgeon-General  J.,U.  S.  N.,  medical  certifi 
cate  of,  183. 

Bears,  encounter  with  dogs,  538;  pursued,  549;  a 
visit  from,  551 ;  traces  of,  seen,  348,  349,  425, 
426,  531,  536,  544,  550;  seen,  425,  533;  killed, 
349,  473,  552,  568. 

Besscls,  Dr.  Emil,  scientific  operations  intrusted 
to,  32;  gathers  specimens  at  Fiskernaes,  49; 
takes  photographs,  52  ;  keeps  watch,  85 ;  opin 
ion  of,  as  to  course,  92 ;  collects  specimens,  115 ; 
attends  Hall  in  his  sickness,  173 ;  qualifications, 
210;  assists  in  meteorological  work,  219;  con 
sultation  with  Captain  Buclington,  227 ;  anxi 
ety  for,  233 ;  lost  in  a  storm,  256 ;  plan  of  op 
erations,  305  to  311 ;  photographs  the  ship,  324  ; 
starts  on  journey  toward  the  south,  332;  re 
turns,  340;  starts  on  sledge-journey  north,  478; 
returns,  4~9;  starts  again,  481;  visits  Foulke 
Fiord,  492;  letter  of,  (,71  to  672. 
44 


Birds  seen,  80,  372,  420,  506,  565  ;  land,  seen,  562 
(See  under  head  of  the  different  kinds  of  birds.) 

Bishop,  Mr.  R.  M.,  191. 

Blackwood  Point,  Budington  party  land  on,  505. 

Board  of  Inquiry,  report  of,  598  to  620. 

Boats  (Budingtou's  party),  finished,  492;  under 
weigh,  500 ;  beset,  503  ;  pass  Cape  York,  509 ; 
stove,  510 ;  picked  up,  512 ;  brought  to  the 
United  States,  514. 

Boatswain,  killed,  378,  388,  403. 

Bourns,  Jonathan,  Jr.,  gives  Hall  a  free  passage  to 
the  United  States,  201. 

Braiue,  Commander  D.  L.,  U.  S.  N.,  commands  the 
Juniata,  580 ;  describes  the  coal  on  the  Waigat, 
591. 

Brent  geese,  seen,  113,402;  killed,  117,389,394,402, 
403.  (See  Geese) 

Brevoort,Mr.  J.  Carson,  authority  for  what  relates  to 
Hall  personally,  25 ;  estimate  of  Hall,  41. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y:,  Hall  lectures  in,  21. 

Brother  John's  Glacier,  visited,  492. 

Bryan,  Rev.  E.  D.,57. 

Bryan,  R.  W.  D.,  astronomer  of  the  Expedition,  37 ; 
appointed  chaplain,  62  ;  keeps  watch,  85;  sur 
veying,  120,  124,  126,  134;  unconscious,  130; 
qualifications,  210  ;  banks  up  the  observatory, 
218;  observes  moon-culminations,279;  starts  on 
journey  to  the  south,  332;  collects  fossils,  372; 
makes  meteorological  observations,  374 ;  his 
records  placed  on  the  ice,  430;  visits  Rensselaer 
Harbor,  487  to  491 ;  visits  Port  Foulke,  493  to 
495 ;  arrives  in  New  York,  519 ;  letter  of,  667  to 
670. 

Budington,  Captain  James,  57. 

Budington,  Captain  S.  O.,  to  receive  special  written 
directions  from  Hall,  33 ;  sailing  and  ice  mas 
ter  of  the  Expedition,  37 ;  advice  of,  to  seek  a 
harbor,  91 ;  opinion  of,  as  to  course,  93;  quali 
fications,  211 ;  the  command  devolves  upon, 
227  ;  consultation  with  Dr.  Bessels,  ib.;  discon 
tinues  daily  prayers,  232  ;  makes  preparations 
for  sledge-journey,  255;  statement  of  the  ex- 


690 


Index. 


Budington,  Captain  S.  O. — Continued. 

posure  of  the  Polaris,  G5  to  68 ;  replies  to  Dr. 
Bessels'  plan  of  operations,  314;  prepares  for 
the  boat-journeys,  337 ;  account  of  sledge-jour 
ney  from,  journal,  340  to  351 ;  deposits  a  record 
at  Newman's  Bay,  357 ;  determines  to  push 
North,  382,  386;  decides  to  start  South,  401; 
maintains  discipline,  460 ;  the  boat-crew  of, 
495  ;  party  arrive  in  Washington,  517 ;  exam 
ined,  620. 

Burgomaster  gulls,  seen,  378, 486.     (See  Gnlls) 

Cairn  Point,  the  Polaris  abreast  of,  75 ;  two  miles 

distant,  426. 

Calcutta,  Dundee  jute-trade  with,  40. 
Cape  Alexander,  Polaris  opposite,  75. 
Brevoort,  named,  160. 
Constitution,  Polaris  passing,  408. 
Dudley  Digges,  Polaris  abreast  of,  71. 
Frazer,  Polaris  passes,  79. 
Hawks,  on  the  port-beam,  76. 
Joseph  Henry,  coast  sketched  as  far  as,  357. 
Lawrence,  Polaris  passes,  79. 
Lieber,  recognized,  81 ;  appears  near  the  ves 
sel,  261 ;  seen  during  the  Polar  night,  258 ; 
the  Polaris  near,  383. 

Lupton,  named,  109;  appears  near  the  vessel, 
261 ;  much  open  water  seen  from,  288;  Po 
laris  rounding,  383. 
McClintock,  Polaris  passes,  79. 
Norton  Shaw,  Polaris  passes,  79. 
Parry,  Polaris  off,  74. 

Sumner,  pack  near,  found  impenetrable,  383. 
Union,  seen  from  Cape  Lupton,  117. 
York,  sighted,  70;  Polaris  north  of,  71;  the 

Little  Juniata  in  the  pack  near,  589. 
Carey  Islands,  ice-floe  party  below,  530. 
Caterpillars,  328. 

Chester,  II.  C.,  first  mate  of  the  Polaris,  37 ;  dis 
patched  for  Mr.  K.  Smith,  54  ;  brings  Hans  and 
family  from  Proven,  59;  opinion  of,  as  to  course, 
92;  looking  for  a  harbor,  98  ;  conducts  a  hunt 
ing-party,  131 ;  mountains  named  after,  133 ; 
accompanies  Hall  on  sledge-journey,  147 ;  visits 
Cape  Brevoort,  156;  qualifications,  212;  his 
estimate  of  the  crew,  213;  visits  the  open  wa 
ter,  289 ;  to  command  one  of  the  boats,  337 ; 
reports  open  water,  374 ;  starts  with  crew  to 
Cape  Luptou,  375;  loses  boat  and  returns,  ib.; 
account  of  journey,  376 ;  prepares  the  canvas 
boat,  377  ;  starts  from  ship,  378 ;  sends  to  Cap 
tain  Budington  for  provisions,  384  ;  a  letter  and 


Chester,  H.  C. — Continued. 

supplies  sent  to,  387 ;  arrives  from  Newman's 
Bay,  394  ;  adds  inscription  on  Hall's  grave,  395 ; 
looks  for  floe-party,  442  ;  builds  boats,  472  ;  the 
boat-crew  of,  495;  journal  of,  while  on  boat- 
journey,  675  to  678. 

Christmas,  its  celebration,  262  to  265  ;  the  floe-party 
celebrate,  535. 

Cincinnati,  Ohio,  Hall  lectures  in,  21. 

Cist,  Mr.  J.  C.,  17. 

Coal,  purchased  at  Upernavik,  62;  used  during  Oc 
tober,  222;  November,  248;  December,  269; 
January,  •  291 ;  February,  316;  March,  333; 
quantity  of,  much  reduced,  270;  exhausted, 
468;  found  on  the  Waigat,  591. 

Coffin,  N.  J.,  makes  a  wagon,  134 ;  his  ability,  213  ; 
finishes  the  sleds,  285,295. 

Colfax,  Hon.  Schuyler,  secures  Arctic  amendment 
by  his  casting  vote,  27. 

Colliuson,  Eear-Adrniral  C.  B.,  list  of  Frobisher's 
relics  in  "  Three  Voyages  of  M.  Frobisher,"  ed 
ited  by,  193. 

"  Congress,"  U.  S.  S.,  at  Godhavn,  55. 

Conical  Rock,  Budington  party  encamps  on,  507. 

Cooper,  Captain,  kind  treatment  from,  518. 

Cox,  Judge  Joseph,  letter  from,  respecting  Hall's 
health,  179. 

Crew,  employments  of,  during  Hall's  sickness,  217  ; 
health  of,  283. 

Crows,  seen,  562,  565. 

Crow's-nest,  secured  in  its  place,  54. 

Cumberland  Sound,  value  of  whale-fishery  in,  40. 

Cylinders,  to  be  thrown  overboard,  35;  thrown  over 
board,  80,  82,  90,  352,  381,  394  ;  put  in  Hall's 
grave,  386. 

Cyrus  Field's  Bay,  Hall  winters  in,  on  first  Expedi 
tion,  191. 


Dalrymple  Island,  Budington  party  lands  on,  505. 

Daly,  Judge  C.  P.,  introduces  Hall  to  the  American 
Geographical  Society,  38;  Hall's  letter  to,  39, 
201  to  209. 

Davenport,  Captain  II.  K.,  U.  S.  N.,  commands  the 
Congress,  55;  presents  to  Inspector  Smith  let 
ters  from  the  Secretaiy  of  the  Navy,  ib.}  ad 
dresses  the  crew  of  the  Polaris,  57. 

Deer,  none  found  at  Ilolsteinborg,  as  expected,  52  ; 
traces  seen, 378, 449, 453, 477 ;  seen, 453, 454, 456, 
487;  killed,  478. 

Do  Lang,  Captain,  visits  the  ice-floe  party  on  the 
Tigress,  573. 


Index. 


691 


Do  Long,  Lieutenant  G.  W.,  U.  S.  N.,  commands  the 
Little  Juniata,  582. 

Dogs,  purchased  at  Saiut  John's,  48  ;  at  Upernavik, 
62;  at  King-itoke,  64  ;  troublesome,  123;  num 
ber  ami  condition,  221 ;  feeding,  231 ;  food,  2(51 ; 
iu  good  condition  for  sledge-journeys,  32d;  fits, 
329,  355. 

Dovekies,  seen,  314,  3GO,  372,  420;  killed,  381,  382, 
388,  390,  391, 394,  395,  396, 402, 420,  492, 542, 543, 
544.  546, 547, 548. 

Ducks,  seen,  372,  379, 503,  565, 569 ;  killed,  388,  394. 

Dundee,  Budington  party  arrive  at,  517, 518. 

"  Eagle,"  sighted  by  the  ice-floe  party,  572. 
Ebierbing,  present  at  Hall's  lccture,S6.     (See  under 

Joe) 

Eider  ducks,  seen,  370, 420,  421,  423;  killed,  377. 
Elberg,  Governor  of  Holsteiuborg,  an  old  friend  of 

Hall's,  52. 
Elberg,  Governor  of  Upernavik,  visits  the  Polaris, 

Gl  ;  accompanies  Hall  to  Tessi-Ussak,  63 ;   re 
ceives  Hall's  last  dispatches,  66. 
"  Eric,"  receives  three  of  the  Budington  party,  518  ; 

arrives  with  them  at  Dundee,  ib. 
Esquimaux,  of   Fiskeruaes,  described,  49;    divine 

service  of  the,  54  ;  photographs  of,  taken,  63  ; 

remains  of  summer  tents  of,  discovered,  112; 

first   sight  of  Etah,   445 ;  102,  visited  Polaris 

House,  483 ;  funeral  ceremonies,  484  ;  divorce, 

Ib. 
Etah,  the  settlement  of,  455. 


Fish,  Hon.  Hamilton,  letter  of,  666. 

Fiskernaes,  the  Polaris  leaves,  50. 

Fitz  Clarence  Rock,  Polaris  passes,  74 ;  Budingtou's 

boats  near,  505.* 
Flies,  359,  368. 
Fogs,  48,  65, 66,  69,  70, 80,  82, 83,  89, 106, 267, 271,  301, 

320,  332,  340,  345,  388,  407,  415,  423,  445, 509, 530, 

545,565,586,589. 
Foster,  Dr.,  conducts  divine  service  on  the  Polaris, 

47. 
Foxes,  traces  of,  149,  349;  seen,  13S,  444, 445, 453,  503, 

542, 562  ;  killed,  327,  450,  452,  453, 454, 456,  457, 

458, 460,  468, 470,  472, 533, 535  ;  eaten,  456. 
Franklin  Island,  Polaris  passes,  408. 
Franklin,  Sir  John,  Hall's  mission  relative  to,  20  ; 

Hall  ranked  with,  21 ;  Hall's  efforts  to  rescue, 

and  their  results,  191  to  209. 
"Frolic,"  U.  S.  S.,  brings  the  ice-floe  party  from 

Saint  John's  to  Washington,  575. 


Gales,  117,  125,  123, 131, 135, 148, 150, '229, 232  to  239, 
243  to  246,  256,  265,  271,  279,  281,282,287,290, 
291,  302,  303,  311,  315,  319,  320,  321,  351, 355,  359, 
380,387,  389,401,  410,  426,  427  to  441,453,454, 
457, 469, 470, 472,  473,  477,  480,  482,  486,  496, 501, 
507, 508, 518,  523,  526,  527,  535,  538,  540  to  543, 
545, 540, 548, 550,  552,  559,  569,  570,  589. 

Gale  Point,  Polaris  duo  west  of,  426. 

Geese,  seen,  379,  395,  503  ;  killed,  394,  403. 

Geographical  Society  of  Paris  awards  the  Roquetto 
Prize  to  Hall,  625. 

Godhavn,  the  Polaris  at,  53  ;  the  Juniata  at,  581 ; 
the  Tigress  at,  584. 

Goslings,  caught,  394,  403. 

Grant,  President  U.  S.,  at  Hall's  lecture,  26  ;  com 
missions  Hall,  28 ;  inspects  the  Polaris,  29 ;  crow 
of  the  boat  named  after,  337. 

Greenwood,  Mr.  Miles,  assists  Hall  in  his  first  Ex 
pedition,  191. 

Grecr,  Commander  J.  A.,  U.  S.  N.,  commands  tho 
Tigress,  584. 

Griuuell,  Mr.  Henry,  Hall's  letter  to,  20  ;  authority 
for  what  relates  to  Hall  personally,  25 ;  assists 
Hall  in  his  first  Expedition,  191. 

Griunell  Land,  sun  hidden  by,  77. 

Gulls,  seen,  124,326,327,360,372,378,379,  381,491, 
503  ;  killed,  120,  388,  391,  392,  394. 

Hakluyt  Island,  Polaris  off,  74  ;  Budiugtou  party 
on,  500. 

Hall,  Captain  Charles  Francis,  originates  the  Ex 
pedition,  17  ;  extracts  from  journal  of,  showing 
purpose  of  reaching  the  Polo,  18;  ranked  with 
other  Arctic  heroes,  21 ;  Arctic  training,  i&.;  ar 
rives  in  Washington,  25  ;  impressed  by  the 
sympathy  of  Tho  President,  ib.;  lectures  in  Lin 
coln  Hall,  26;  his  commission,  28  ;  instructions 
from  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  30  to  36 ;  details  his 
plans  before  the  American  Geographical  Soci 
ety,  37 ;  letters  to  Messrs.  Griuuell  and  Bre- 
voort,  presenting  his  threefold  object,  38; 
speaks  of  new  whaling-grounds,  40;  original 
plan,  42;  partial  change,  ib.  ;  sends  dispatch  to 
.  Secretary  of  tho  Navy  by  Swedish  vessel,  52; 
awaits  tho  transport  at  Holsteinborg,  52 ; 
leaves  Holsteinborg — reaches  Godhavn,  53  ;  at 
tends  Divine  Service,  54 ;  offers  of  assistance 
from  the  Danish  authorities,  55 ;  endeavors  to 
secure  the  services  of  Hans  aud  Governor  Jen 
sen,  56;  satisfied  with  his  outfit,  57;  places  dis 
patches  in  Governor  Rudolph's  hands,  63  ;  lands 
at  Kiug-itoke,  ib.  ;  takes  leave  of  the  civilized 


692 


Index. 


Hall,  Captain  Charles  Francis — Continued. 

world,  65;  sends  his  last  dispatches,  G6;  sounds 
the  entrance  to  a  bay  near  Cape  Frazer,  79  ;  de 
termines  latitude  of  highest  point  reached  by 
the  Polaris,  85 ;  explores  a  small  bay,  89  and 
90 ;  calls  a  council,  92 ;  decision  as  to  course, 
94;  orders  each  man  to  be  ready  to  leave  the 
vessel,  97 ;  looks  for  a  harbor,  98  ;  takes  pos 
session  of  the  land,  104  ;  decides  to  winter,  105; 
seeks  a  more  suitable  harbor,  113;  names  Po 
laris  Bay,  119;  names  the  harbor,  ib. ;  observes 
for  longitude,  ib.  ;  the  accuracy  of,  estimate  of 
distances,  1*26;  receives  letter  from  seamen,  1 32; 
promises  to  redress  their  grievances,  ib. ;  object 
in  sending  out  hunting-party,  133;  anxious  to 
make  sledge-journey,  134  ;  prepares  for  it,  135  ; 
prescribes  ship-routine,  136  ;  condemns  pro 
fanity,  137 ;  instructions  to  Budington,  141  to 
147  ;  starts  on  sledge-journey,  147 ;  returns,  149 ; 
last  sight  of  the  sun,  151 ;  extracts  from 
journal,  152, 153,  160  to  162,  167,  168  ;  encamps 
in  sight  of  a  bay,  153  ;  reads  prayers,  154  ;  visits 
Cape  Brevoort,  156 ;  his  highest  on  land,  157  ; 
observations  from  Cape  Brevoort,  15S ;  deter 
mines  latitude  of  last  encampment,  159 ;  de 
posits  dispatch,  162 ;  returns  to  the  Polaris, 
170;  taken  sick,  173;  condition  critical,  174; 
improves  rapidly — his  relapse  and  death,  175  ; 
grief  for,  176;  extracts  from  journal  respecting 
former  sicknesses,  177  and  17d  ;  illness  in  Wash 
ington,  178;  under  medical  treatment  before 
sailing,  179 ;  the  funeral  of,  184  ;  the  grave, 
185  ;  death  of,  fatal  to  the  Expedition,  189  ;  in 
terest  in  Expeditions  for  Franklin's  relief,  190  ; 
starts  on  first  exp:  dition,  191 ;  discovers  relics 
of  Frobisher's  Expeditions,  192  ;  discovers  Fro- 
bisher's  Bay,  ib. ;  starts  on  second  Expedition, 
194  ;  visits  King  William's  Laud,  199 ;  letter  to 
Judge  Daly  detailing  results,  201  to  209  ;  quali 
fications  previous  to  taking  command  of  the 
Polaris,  209 ;  lacked  only  good  health,  213 ; 
grave  of,  found  undisturbed,  301  ;  inscription 
placed  on  grave,  385,  395 ;  Arctic  library  of, 
cached,  499  ;  first  news  of  the  death  of,  574. 

Hall,  Mrs.  C.  F.,  Roquette  prize  sent  to,  631. 

Hall,  Robert,  Secretary  of  the  Admiralty,  letter  of, 
665,  672. 

Hall's  Basin,  named  by  Captain  Budington,  396. 

Halos,  131, 242, 255, 267, 289,  323, 474. 

Hannah,  on  the  Polaris,  37 ;  Hall's  first  meeting 
with,  193;  her  services,  213  ;  makes  skin  cloth 
ing,  255. 


Hans,  49 ;  services  secured,  59;  accompanies  Hall 
on  sledge-journey,  147  ;  his  services,  213;  babe 
born  to,  406 ;  taken  to  Greenland,  584. 

Hans  Island,  the  Polaris  passes,  407. 

Hares,  seen,  326,474,486;  killed,  119,  123,  332,353, 
355, 477, 478, 486, 487, 492. 

Hartstene  Bay,  Hall's  wish  to  be  lauded  in,  43. 

Hawks,  seen,  149,  359. 

Hayes,  Dr.  1. 1.,  tidal  apparatus  used,  136;  iron  boat 
left  on  McGary's  Island,  sought,  453 ;  observa 
tory  destroyed  by  natives,  463. 

Henry,  Professor  Joseph,  letter  of,  637  to  640;  in 
structions  of,  (545  to  653. 

Highest  laud,  seen  by  Hall,  165 ;  reached  by  Tyson 
and  Meyer,  356. 

Hilgard,  Professor  J.  E.,  instructions  by,  640,  641  to 
645. 

Holsteinborg,  the  Polaris  at,  50 ;  the  Juniata  at, 
581. 

Howgate.  Capt.  II.  W.,  U.  S.  A.,  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Inquiry,  597. 

Ice,  73,  97;  pack  first  encountered,  70;  close,  71, 
502;  stopped  by,  74,  500,  507,  558.  570;  patch, 
75;  heavy  pack,  76, 352,  358,  376 ;  100  feet  thick, 
77;  patches  of,  80;  large  floes,  81,  285,  397; 
heavy,  82,  411;  solid  from  shore  to  shore,  84, 
383,  384, 387  ;  floes,  89, 90,  98, 100 ;  a  wall  of,  91 ; 
pressure  of,  99,  125,  244,  259,  389,  390,  39?,  402, 
409,  415,  425,  429,  503,  509;  loosened,  101, 5"3, 
559,566;  opens,  103,  136,  148,237,258,265,380, 
415,468,472;  young,  118,  240,284,285,287,348, 
405,413,415. 

Ice-floe  party,  the  members,  524  ;  sight  the  Polaris, 
525;  drift  near  the  west  land,  527;  build  three 
igloos,  528 ;  drift  to  the  south,  529  ;  scanty  al 
lowance,  540;  loss  of  strength,  543;  opposite 
Cumberland  Gulf,  549;  opposite  Cape  Farewell, 
553;  in  great  peril,  560;  sight  a  vessel,  571; 
picked  up  by  the  Tigress,  572;  at  Washington, 
575;  examined,  597. 

Igloo,  building  an,  341. 

Indianapolis,  Indiana,  Hall  lectures  in,  21. 

Inland  Island,  Hall's  ninth  encampment  near,  169. 

In  man  Line  of  Steamships,  passage  given  to  part  of 
Budington  party,  517. 

Insects,  368. 

Intrepid,  three  of  the  Bndington  party  on  the,  516. 

Ivory  gull,  seen,  413. 

Jackmann,  Captain,  572. 


Index. 


693 


Jensen,  Governor  of  Tessi-Ussak,  declines  to  accom 
pany  Hall,  64  ;  pilots  the  Polaris,  GC. 

Joe,  on  the  Polaris,  31 ;  accompanies  Hall  on  sledge- 
journey,  147;  Hall's  first  meeting  with,  193; 
Ins  services,  213  ;  on  board  the  Tigress,  584. 

Johnson,  Mr.  A.  B.,  letter  from  Hall,  19. 

"Juliauhope,"  the  brig,  met  by  the  Polaris,  60. 

"  Juniata,"  U.  S.  S.,  made  ready  for  sea,  579 ;  comple 
ment  of,  580 ;  sails  from  New  York,  ib. ;  arrives 
at  Saint  John's,  592 ;  arrives  at  New  York,  593. 

Jupiter,  observations  of,  159, 107, 168, 300. 

Kane,  Dr.  E.  K.,  Hall  ranked  with,  21. 

Kasorsoak,  passed,  58. 

Kennedy  Channel,  the  Polaris  enters,  79,  407  ;  the 
sceue  of  a  powder  explosion,  (occurred  in  Smith 
Strait)  60. 

Kerosene-oil,  the  freezing-point,  330. 

King  ducks,  killed,  378, 379, 391. 

King-itoke,  the  Polaris  reaches,  63. 

King  William's  Laud,  Hall's  desire  to  reach,  18; 
Hall  reaches,  199. 

Koldewey,  Captain  Carl,  views  of  an  open  Polar  sea, 
95. 

Kroft,  Eev.  Mr.,  missionary  at  Lichtenfels,  50. 

Kruger,  J.  W.  C.,  placed  in  charge  of  the  tidal  ob 
servations,  229. 

Lancaster  Sound,  land  seen  near,  532. 

Laver,  Captain,  kindness  to  part  of  the  Budington 

party,  517. 
Lemmings,  traces  of,  seen,  149,  326,  351;   caught, 

360,  361, 394,  396. 
Lichteufels,  visited  by  a  party  from  the  Polaris, 

50. 

Life-Boat  Cove,  Polaris  opposite,  442. 
Lime-juice,  given  out,  230. 
Lister,  T.  V.,  Under  Secretary  of  State,  for  England, 

letter  of,  665. 
"  Little  Juuiata,"  dispatched,  582  ;  in  Melville  Bay, 

590 ;  rejoins  the  Juniata,  591. 
Littleton  Island,  Polaris  passes,  75. 
Lookout  Mountain,  Hall's  first  snow-house   near, 

150. 
Lossen,  F.,  Governor  of   Godhavn,  receives  Hall 

cordially,  53 ;  assists  Commander  Braine,  581. 
Luminous  Streamers,  268, 279, 281, 290, 297, 299, 300, 

533. 
Lummes,  a  rookery  of,  501 ;  killed,  391. 

Magnetometer,  observations  with,  289 ;  term-day, 
295. 


Malte-Bi'un,  M.  V.  A.,  Report  of  Prize  Commission 
presented  by,  625. 

Markham,  Captain  A.  II.,  R.  N.,  visits  the  Eaveus- 
craig,  516. 

Mauch,  J.  B.,  surveying,  124,  126 ;  searched  for, 
130  ;  assistant  to  yeoman,  ib. ;  clerk  to  Hall,  ib. ; 
qualifications,  213;  assists  Mr.  Meyer  in  ob 
serving,  286 ;  experiments  with  kerosene-oil, 
330 ;  describes  a  ravine,  339  ;  reports  unfavora 
bly  as  to  ice  in  Strait,  368  ;  meteorological  ob 
servations,  375,  454  ;  his  duties,  379. 

Meek,  Professor  F.  B.,  instructions  by,  655  to  659. 

Mercury,  frozen,  303,  311,  320,  471, 537, 539. 

Meteor,  296. 

Meyer,  Mr.  Frederick,  meteorologist  of  the  Expe 
dition,  37 ;  determination  of  highest  latitude, 
85  ;  keeps  watch,  ib. ;  surveying,  120,  124,  126, 
134,  331,  355,  357;  qualifications,  211;  banks 
up  observatory,  218;  goes  to  the  relief  of  Dr. 
Bessels,  233 ;  attacked  by  scurvy,  421 ;  his 
records  placed  on  the  ice,  432 ;  determines 
position,  408,  425,  533,  539,  541,  549,  562,  570 ; 
nearly  frozen  to  death,  561  ;  suffers  from  hun 
ger,  563. 

Mirage,  48,  £73. 

Mock -Moons,  242,  255, 289.     (Sec  Paraselcnce) 

Mosquitoes,  368. 

Morton,  Mr.  William,  second  mate  of  the  Polaris,  37; 
recognized  by  Hans,  60 ;  goes  in  search  of 
Mauch,  130 ;  appointed  yeoman,  130  ;  qualifica 
tion,  212  ;  loses  use  of  foot,  230. 

Mulloy,  Mr.  Thomas  N.,  United  States  Consul  at  St. 
John's,  accompanies  the  Polaris  out  of  harbor, 
48 ;  receives  information  of  the  rescue  of  the 
ice-floe  party,  574 ;  recalls  the  Juniata  in  the 
Hector,  593. 

Musk-oxen,  traces  of,  seen,  123,  125,  149,  161 ;  seen, 
353,  362;  killed,  134,  353,  355,  357,  358,  361. 


Narwhals,  seen,  505,  542,  549 ;  fired  at,  541,  545. 
National  Academy  of  Sciences,  instructions  of,  637. 
Navy,  Polaiis  crew  to  be  under  discipline  of,  35. 
Newcomb,  Professor  Simon,  U.  S.  N.,  instructions  by, 

640. 

Newman's  Bay,  named,  160. 
Newman,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  P.,  conducts  Divine  Service, 

56;  addresses  the  crew  of  the  Polaris,  57. 
New  Year's  Day,  269,  467,  536. 
Now  York  City,  Hall  lectures  in,  21. 
Nindemanu,  William,  narrowly  escapes  drowning 

51 ;  fastens  Polaris  to  Providence  Berg,  238. 


694 


Index. 


Northumberland  Island,  iu  sight,  427  ;  Budington 
party  lands  on,  502,  504. 

Nourse,  Professor  J.  E.,  U.  S.  N.,  revises  arid  corrects 
proof  of  last  seven  chapters,  4  ;  charge  of  the 
preparation  of  Narrative  of  Hall's  Second  Ex 
pedition,  685  (note). 

Observatory  Bluff,  named,  110. 

Odell,  Mr.  A.  A.,  assistant  engineer  of  the  Polaris, 
87  ;  qualifications,  213  ;  monument,  402. 

Official  courtesies,  48,  49,  55,  56. 

Offley  Island,  fossils  found  on,  331,  372 ;  encamp 
ment  at,  341. 

Ookgooks,  seen,  325,  343,  373;  killed,  220,  371,  380, 
423,  545,  549. 

Owls,  seen,  149, 353, 423. 

Paraselene,  304,  323,  474. 

Parhelia,  323,  351,  426,  474. 

Parry,  Sir  Edward,  Hall  ranked  with,  21. 

"Pendulum"  observations,  276  to  279,  475. 

"  Periwinkle,"  U.  S.  A.,  selected  for  cruise,  28 ;  rebuilt 
— launched — name  changed  to  Polaris,  29. 

Petermanu  Fiord,  visited,  331,  345,  370. 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  Hall  lectures  in,  21. 

Plovers,  killed,  390,  403. 

Plunier,  Rev.  Dr.  W.  S.,  sermons  presented  to  Hall,  62. 

Point  Joy,  the  Polaris  near,  78. 

Polaris  House,  finished,  450;  life  iu,  462;  found  by 
Commander  Greer,  586. 

"  Polaris,"  U.  S.  S.,  named  by  Hall,  29 ;  sailed  from 
Washington,  ib.;  voyage  from  Washington  to 
New  York,  36 ;  sails  from  the  United  States,  ib. ; 
complement,  37 ;  at  St.  John's,  48 ;  leaves  Fisk- 
ernaes,  50 ;  supplied  from  the  Congress,  56  ; 
leaves  Godhavn,  ib. ;  leaves  Upernavik,  63  ; 
stopped  by  ice,  74  ;  forces  through  ice,  75 ;  re 
sumes  her  course,  76 ;  enters  Kennedy  Channel, 
79;  discovers  a  small  island,  80;  her  position, 
81 ;  at  her  highest  point,  84 ;  drifts  to  the 
south,  89 ;  contends  with  great  difficulty,  91 ; 
latitude  of,  when  beset,  96 ;  suffers  ice  pressure, 
97;  a  nip,  99;  carried  rapidly  to  the  south, 
100;  casts  off,  103;  escapes  imminent  danger 
from  fire,  104  ;  anchors,  ib. ;  the  winter  homo 
•of  the,  109;  in  danger,  121;  changes  in  berth 
ing  arrangements,  122;  fire-hole,  131 ;  ice  press 
ure,  135  ;  well  built  and  supplied,  210  ;  adrii't, 
237  ;  sawing  a  dock  for,  241 ;  under  great  press 
ure,  244  ;  strained  by  tidal  motion,  259 ;  gun 
powder  fails  to  free  the,  268,275;  her  constant 
•  motion,  321 ;  the  ell'eet  of  the  strain,  354  ;  leak 


Polaris — Continued. 

discovered,  360  ;  efforts  to  stop  leak,  369 ;  leak 
increasing,  375 ;  sawing  out,  381 ;  afloat,  382 ; 
under  way,  383,  384;  narrowly  escapes  being 
crushed,  3H8  ;  ice  pressure,  392  ;  cleared  by  the 
deck-pumps,  395 ;  aground,  402  ;  leaves  Thank- 
God  Harbor,  407  ;  fast  to  floe,  408 ;  nipped,  411, 
423 ;  the  leak,  419  ;  leak  diminishing,  425 ;  drift 
ing  rapidly,  428;  party  on  board,  at  the  separa 
tion,  439;  desperate  condition  of,  440,  441; 
beached,  443  ;  stem  gone,  444  ;  abandoned,  450  ; 
fire-wood  taken  from,  468;  well  built,  469; 
fastened  to  the  shore,  495;  sunk,  586. 

Port  Fpulke,  visited  by  Dr.  Bessels  and  Mr.  Bryan, 
493. 

Providence  Berg,  named,  110 ;  Polaris  anchored 
under  the  protection  of,  118 ;  as  a  protector, 
125 ;  holds  against  great  pressure,  135 ;  sup 
plies  ice,  148;  the  Polaris  against,  238;  moves 
in  on  the  vessel,  244;  probability  of,  being 
driven  in,  266  ;  the  sun  seen  from,  313  ;  the  re 
frigerator  in,  363  ;  fears  of  its  going  adrift,  381 ; 
saves  the  Polaris,  388  ;  turned  over  by  ice  press 
ure,  392 ;  forced  in  toward  the  shore,  393 ; 
split  asunder,  394. 

Ptarmigans,  tracks  of,  seen,  470 ;  seen,  327, 328,  344, 
358 ;  killed,  333,  338, 353, 355, 358,  359,  370,  373. 

Rain,  50,  389, 391, 396, 402, 409, 410,  414, 507. 

Ravens,  seen,  380, 445, 468 , 470, 503. 

"  Ravenscraig,"  sighted,  511 ;  reaches  the  latitude 
of  Conical  Roek,  515  ;  enters  Lancaster  Sound, 
ib. ;  transfers  seven  Polaris  men  to  the  Arctic, 
516;  three  Polaris  men  to  the  Intrepid,  ib. ; 
four  Polaris  men  to  the  Arctic,  ib. 

Reid,  Mr.  William,  United  States  vice-consul  at 
DundeCj  attentions  to  the  Budingtou  party, 
517, 518. 

Rensselaer  Harbor,  the  Polaris  above,  75 ;  visited 
by  Mr.  Bryan,  488. 

Repulse  Harbor,  named,  91  ;  visited  by  Mr.  Meyer, 
676. 

Reynolds,  Commodore  William,  U.  S.  N.,  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Inquiry,  597. 

Rickaby,  Mr.  J.,  a  passenger  on  the  Eric,  518. 

Robesou,  Hon.  G.  M.,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in 
spects  the  Polaris,  29  ;  instructions  to  Hall,  30 
to  36 ;  Hall's  dispatch  to,  163  to  160  ;  orders  an 
inquiry  as  to  the  cause  of  Hall's  death,  182; 
crew  of  boat  named  after,  337 ;  appoints  a 
Board  of  Inquiry,  597;  letter  of,  667. 

liobeson  Strait,  named,  109. 


Index. 


695 


Roquctto,  the,  Prize  awarded  to  Hall,  G25  to  031  ; 
the,  Medal  placed  at  the  International  Exhibi 
tion  1876,  625. 

Royal  Geographical  Society  of  London,  relics  of 
Frobisher's  Expeditions  sent  to,  193. 

Rudolph,  Dr.  E.  N.,  receives  Hall  cordially,  58; 
visits  the  Polaris,  GO  ;  Commander  Braiuo  con 
sults  with,  581. 

Sailors'  Companion,  copies  of  the,  donated,  62. 

Saint  John's,  the  Polaris  at,  48  ;  the  ice-floe  party 
at,  574  ;  the  Tigress  at,  58 1, 588  ;  the  Juniata  at, 
592, 593. 

Sargent,  Hon.  A.  A.,  introduces  a  Resolution  into 
United  States  Senate  for  the  preparation  of  a 
Narrative  of  Hall's  Second  Expedition,  635, 
(note). 

Saunders  Island,  the  Polaris  passes,  72. 

Schoenheidter,  Governor  of  Fiskeruaes,  visits  the 
Polaris,  49. 

Schoonina'.ier,  Commander  C.  M.,  U.  S.  N.,  com 
mands  the  Frolic,  575. 

Schumann,  Emil,  chief  engineer  of  the  Polaris,  37  ; 
qualifications,  212  ;  finds  a  budding  plant,  325. 

Scurvy,  356,  464 ;  its  causes,  284  ;  signs  of,  351, 394, 
421,464,470,538. 

Seal  holes,  seen,  531, 536, 544. 

Seals,  seen,  113,  118,137,138,149,155,156,160,220, 
301, 302,  325,  326,  349, 370, 372, 404,  405, 420, 421, 
482, 505,  535,  538,  539, 540, 542, 544, 549, 552, 563, 
569  ;  killed,  117, 137,  325,  349,  3CO,  368,  370,  377 
396,  404,  405,  408,  412,  420  to  427,  491,  492,  495, 
527,  530,  531,  532,  535,  538  to  544,  547,548,  549, 
550,  552,  553,  557,  558,  565,  569,  570. 

Seamen's  Friend  Society,  library  given  by,  62. 

Senate  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations,  Hall's  let 
ters  to,  19, 192. 

Separation,  Polaris  and  ice-floe  party,  434,  523. 

Sherman,  Hon.  John,  introduces  joint  resolution  in 
the  Senate,  26. 

"  Shoemaker  ",  a  dog,  gored  by  musji-cattle,  403. 

Shooting-stars,  257. 

Shrimps,  327. 

Siemens,  Hermann,  testimony  in  regard  to  the  ice, 
84  ;  an  extract  from  record  of,  102  ;  signs  letter 
of  men  to  Hall,  132 ;  placed  in  charge  of  tidal 
observations,  229  ;  prostrated  by  a  storm,  233. 

Smith,  Inspector  Krarup,  arrives  at  Godhavn,  54  ; 
gives  Hall  a  letter  to  Governor  Elberg,  61. 

Smith's  Sound,  the  Polaris  enters,  75. 

Snipes,  seen,  503 ;  killed,  373,  402,  405. 

Snow,  89,  90,  96, 100, 101, 102, 118, 125, 135, 136,  223, 
243, 281, 288,  320,  340, 345, 379,  391,  414,  415,  424, 


Bnow — Continued. 

427,  445, 447, 483,  501,  502,  £03, 507, 527, 529,  530, 
535,538,541,543,586. 

Snow-birds,  seen,  326, 358,  359,  491,  503  ;  killed,  373. 

Snow-drift,  123, 150,  217,  229,  234,  236,  243,244,256, 
265, 282, 290,  291, 302,  303,  315,  320, 321,  427,  454, 
457, 458,  523, 530, 538, 541, 545, 546, 548. 

Sorfalik,  Budington  party  land  at,  500. 

Sonntag,  Mr.  August,  grave  of,  visited,  494. 

Soutar,  Captain  David,  516. 

Soutter,  Dr.  A.  D.,  welcomes  the  Bndingtou  party, 
512. 

Stark,  Rev.  Mr.,  missionary  at  Lichtonfels,  50. 

State  Line  of  Steamships,  passage  given  to  part  of 
Budington  party,  518. 

Stevenson,  Hon.  J.,  introduces  joint  resolution  into 
House  of  Representatives,  26. 

Stores,  landed  on  floe,  100 ;  brought  back  on  board 
Polaris,  103 ;  put  on  shore  Thank-God  Harbor, 
106, 113  ;  a  survey  ordered,  131 ;  left  at  Thank- 
God  Harbor,  406;  list  of  same,  669;  put  on 
ice,  429 ;  landed  at  Polaris  House,  447. 

Sukkertoppeu,  the  Juniata  at,  581. 

Sumner  Headland,  named,  160. 

Sumner,  Hon.  Charles,  reports  Arctic  Resolution, 
27  ;  moves  it  as  an  amendment  to  general  ap 
propriation  bill,  ib. 

Sun,  disappears,  148,  151, 444, 529  ;  re-appears,  313, 
472,  473,  538 ;  disappears  at  midnight,  412 ; 
shining  on  Grinnell  Land,  312  ;  on  observatory 
at  midnight,  355  ;  above  the  horizon  at  mid 
night,  479;  eclipse  of,  492. 

Swallow,  seen,  503. 

Swarte  Hook,  on  starboard  beam,  58. 

Swedish  Scientific  Expedition,  reports  to  Hall  the 
condition  of  the  ice,  51. 

Thank-God  Harbor,  named,  119;  its  latitude,  114; 
the  Polaris  leaves,  407. 

Temperature,  the  highest  observed,  397;  the  low- 

•  est,  320  ;  during  December,  1871,  256;  January, 

1872,  291 ;  February,  1872,  316 ;    March,  1872, 

333  ;  April,  1872,  354  ;  May,  1872,  361 ;    June, 

1872,  385;  July,  1872,  397;  August,  1872,  414; 
November,    1872,   459  ;    December,  1872,  464  ; 
January,  1873, 469 ;  February,  1873,  473 ;  March, 

1873,  476  ;  April,  1873,  482. 

Tessi-Ussak,  the  Pi  laris  at,  64  ;  the  Little  Juniata 

leaves,  582 ;  the  Tigress  at,  584. 
Thanksgiving  Day,  247,  532. 
Thornton,  Sir  Edward,  letter  of,  666. 
''  Tigress,"  ice-floe  party  picked  up  by,  572;  bought. 

by  United  States  Government,  579. 


696 


Index. 


"  Tigress,"  U.  S.  S.,  repaired  at  the  Brooklyn  navy- 
yai  (1,579;  commissioned,  584  ;  Captain  Tyson 
and  three  of  the  seamen  of  the  Polaris  on  board, 
ib.;  finds  Polaris  House,  585 ;  refits  at  Godhavn, 
587;  crosses  Davis  Strait,  ib.]  anchors  at  Niautlik, 
ib.;  at  Ivigtuk,  ib.;  at  St.  John's,  ib.;  at  New 
York,  ib. 

Turnstones,  seen,  420 ;  killed,  405. 

Twilight,  height  of,  arch,  256,  461 ;  increase  of,  at 
neon,  268,  467  ;  all  night,  323,  474. 

Tyson,  Captain  G.  E.,  joins  the  Polaris  at  New  York, 
36 ;  assistant  navigator  of  the  Polaris,  37 ; 
opinion  of,  as  to  course,  92  ;  qualifications,  211 ; 
commands  one  of  the  boats,  337  ;  starts  toward 
the  North,  377;  returns  with  crew,  389  ;  builds 
house  on  Hoe,  418;  at  work  on  the  floe,  434; 
takes  charge  of  floe-party,  523 ;  ice-master  of 
the  Tigress,  584  ;  examined  by  the  Board  of  In 
quiry,  598 ;  journal  of,  while  on  boat -journey, 
G78  to  681. 


Umingmung  Island,  Ellesmere  Land  called,  477. 
Upernavik,  tho  Polaris  at,  58  ;  the  Juniata  at,  581 ; 

the  Tigress  at,  584. 


Von  Otter,  Baron,  Hall  meets,  at  Holsttinborg,  51 

Walker,  Captain  J.  B  ,  517. 

Walruses,  blow  of,  heard,  285;  seen,  72,  421,  505; 

killed,  457,472. 

Washington,  D.  C.,  Hall's  arrival  at,  25. 
Washington's  birthday,  311. 
Water-clouds,  what  they  mean,  95. 
Whales,  seen,  58 ;  fisheries,  40. 
Williams   &   Haven,  give  Hall  free  passage,  191, 

194. 

Wolves,  tracks  of,  seen,  300  ;  seen,  338. 
Wolstenholme  Island,  the  Polaris  passes,  71 ;  Bud- 

iugton  party  hauls  up  on,  506. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 

Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


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